 "ANTIVIRAL REMDESIVIR, DRUGS, covid, coronavirus")
The government is working hard to enhance the production of antiviral drug Remdesivir to 3 lakh vials per day to improve supply amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh L Mandaviya said on Friday.
With a massive spike in COVID-19 cases, demand for Remdesivir has gone up manifold in the country.
"Since 12th April, 25 new manufacturing sites for #Remdesivir's production have been approved. Production capacity is now ramped up to =90 lakhs vials per month, earlier it was 40 lakhs vials/month," Mandaviya tweeted.
The government is monitoring the situation on a daily basis and doing all that needs to be done to increase the supply of the drug in the country, he added.
"Very soon, 3 lakh vial/day will be produced. Monitoring is being done on daily basis. We would not leave any stone unturned to supply #Remdesivir," the minister said in another tweet.
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Earlier, this week, the government had waived customs duty on Remdesivir, its raw materials and other components used to make the antiviral drug in order to help augment domestic availability and reduce the cost of the injection.
On April 11, in view of increased demand for Remdesivir, the Centre banned the export of the injection and its APIs till the situation improves.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had last week said various drug companies had cut the prices of Remdesivir injection on the intervention of the government.
Cadila Healthcare has reduced the price of its REMDAC (Remdesivir 100 mg) injection to Rs 899 from Rs 2,800. Similarly, Syngene International has cut the price of its brand RemWin to Rs 2,450 from Rs 3,950.
Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories has cut the price of REDYX, which used to cost Rs 5,400, to Rs 2,700 now. Similarly, Cipla has reduced the price of its CIPREMI brand to Rs 3,000 from Rs 4,000.
Mylan has also reduced the price of its brand from Rs 4,800 to Rs 3,400. Similarly, Jubilant Generics has cut the price of its Remdesivir brand to Rs 3,400 from Rs 4,700 earlier. Hetero Healthcare has cut the price of its brand COVIFOR from Rs 5,400 to Rs 3,490.
India is struggling with the second wave of coronavirus infection and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds in view of rising COVID-19 cases.
The country recorded a one-day tally of 3.32 lakh new coronavirus cases and 2,263 more fatalities, according to official data released on Friday.
