Favipiravir will be sold under the brand name Ciplenza for limited emergency use for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19 outbreak) has made its way to almost every corner of the world and has infected millions of individuals across the world. As the disease continues to wreak havoc in health care systems across the globe, a myriad of strategies is currently being tested to fight against the virus or to curb the spread of the virus. Research Institutes and Pharma companies across the world are trying to develop an effective vaccine or drug to combat the virus. Now, Cipla, an Indian pharmaceutical company has confirmed that the company will launch the COVID-19 drug named Favipiravir in August 2020 in India.
It will be sold under the brand name Ciplenza for limited emergency use for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The drug has been developed jointly by Cipla and the Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT). Moreover, Cipla's COVID-19 drug has been approved for launch by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). Ciplenza will be commercially launched in the first week of August 2020 to meet the market demand for medicine. The single tablet will cost around 68 rupees (US$ 0.91).
According to the company, the supply will be mainly through open channels and hospital channels to ensure proper and equitable distribution of the medicine. Moreover, the supply will be prioritized for provinces with a high number of Covid-19 cases. The Drug Controller General of India has also granted permission to start human clinical trials of the COVAXIN (COVID-19 drug developed by Bharat Biotech), which were scheduled to start from July 2020. Favipiravir is an oral antiviral drug, initially developed by Fuji Pharma in Japan, and was promising in clinical trials, particularly in mild and moderate cases of COVID-19.