Cipla gets DCGI approval to sell Covid-19 drug favipiravir in India

Cipla said it would launch favipiravir as "Ciplenza" in the first week of August, priced at 68 Indian rupees (91 cents) per 200 mg tablet

Cipla Ltd has received Indian regulatory approval to sell anti-viral drug favipiravir to treat Covid-19, the drugmaker said on Friday, as coronavirus infections in the world's third worst-hit nation show no sign of abating.

The Drug Controller General of India granted Cipla accelerated approval to make and sell favipiravir in an effort to meet the "urgent and unmet" need for Covid-19 treatment options in the country, the company said.

Indian drugmakers including Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd are racing to supply generic versions of favipiravir, originally developed by Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp as Avigan for treating influenza.

India reported over 49,000 fresh