Hetero Healthcare to supply 20000 vials of antiviral drug Covifor at Rs 5400 per vial across India

"The launch of Covifor in India is a significant milestone for all of us... Through Covifor, we hope to reduce the treatment time of a patient in a hospital, thereby reducing the increasing pressure on the medical infrastructure, overburdened currently due to accelerating COVID-19 cases," Hetero Healthcare MD M Srinivasa Reddy said.

The company is working closely with the government and medical community to make 'Covifor' quickly accessible to both public and private healthcare settings across the country, he added.

Covifor is the first generic brand of remdesivir, indicated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in adults and children, hospitalised with severe symptoms of the disease, the statement said.

The drug is available in 100 mg vial (injectable). It needs to be administered intravenously in a hospital, critical care setting, under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner, it added. On Sunday, Hetero said it has received the manufacturing and marketing approval for remdesivir from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for the treatment of COVID-19.

In May, domestic pharma firms Hetero, Cipla and Jubilant Life Sciences entered into non-exclusive licensing agreements with drug major Gilead Sciences Inc for manufacturing and distribution of remdesivir.

The medicine has been issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) tag by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to treat COVID-19 patients. 

Read also: Cipla, Hetero Labs secure DCGI nod for Remdesivir to treat COVID cases