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<ul><li>Cipla will launch its version of Remdesivir in the next 1-2 days under the brand name 'Cipremi'.</li><li>The drug will be sold at an approximate price of ₹4,000 per vial.</li><li>Remdesivir is considered a key drug in the fight against Covid-19 as a randomised clinical trial conducted with the drug demonstrated faster clinical recovery in hospitalised patients.</li><li>The Union Health Ministry has asked all the states to strengthen their vigil, so that black marketing of Covid-19 drug Remdesivir is prevented.</li></ul>As India faces a shortage of Covid-19 drug Remdesivir, the pharmaceutical company Cipla said it will launch its version of Remdesivir in the next 1-2 days. <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/healthcare/exclusive-as-india-faces-shortage-of-remdesivir-cipla-says-its-supplies-will-hit-market-in-next-1-2-days-6281911.htm">In an interview with CNBC TV18</a>, Kedar Upadhyay, Cipla’s CFO said that the Daman-based Sovereign Pharma had released the first batch of the drug from its manufacturing plant and Cipla will be selling it under the brand name 'Cipremi'. While Mumbai-based BDR Pharma holds the contract for manufacturing of Cipla’s Remdesivir, the company has further sub-contracted the manufacturing of the finished dosage and packaging to Daman-based Sovereign Pharma. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="76747405" title="These are the companies manufacturing COVID-19 drug Remdesivir in India" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> "We are attempting to launch Remdesivir in the next 1-2 days. We cannot comment on the volumes just as yet, but there is a huge demand-supply gap in the market," Upadhyay told CNBC TV18. However, <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/healthcare/exclusive-as-india-faces-shortage-of-remdesivir-cipla-says-its-supplies-will-hit-market-in-next-1-2-days-6281911.htm">reports</a> say that Sovereign Pharma has the capacity to scale up production to 95,000 vials per month. Sovereign Pharma got all necessary approvals for manufacturing the drug within a week, after an inspection by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. The drug will be sold at an approximate price of ₹4,000 per vial. Upadhyay told CNBC that the company is also preparing to set up a Remdesivir manufacturing facility in-house. Remdesivir is considered a key drug in the fight against Covid-19. The drug’s popularity grew after a randomised clinical trial used the drug on 1,063 patients over 60 centres across US, Europe and Asia and saw faster clinical recovery in hospitalised patients. To expand the supply of Remdesivir, US-based Gilead earlier announced non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with generic pharmaceutical manufacturers based in India, Egypt and Pakistan. The agreements allow Cipla and other companies including Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd.; Hetero Labs Ltd.; Syngene, a Biocon company; and Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd. to manufacture Remdesivir for distribution in 127 countries. Government cracks down on Remdesivir black market The Union Health Ministry has asked all the states to take all measures to ensure that Remdesivir is not sold in the black market. The ministry acted upon it after t<a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/health-ministry-steps-in-to-curb-black-marketing-of-covid-drug/1888995">he Directorate General of Health Services said that it has received </a>a letter from LocalCircles routed through the Health Ministry, raising concerns over black marketing and overpricing of Remdesivir in certain markets. "In view of the above, you are requested to instruct your enforcement officials to keep strict vigil on the matter to prevent black marketing and sale of Remdesivir injection above the MRP," the DGHS said in the letter to the states. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/the-us-bought-up-90-of-the-worlds-supply-of-remdesivir-for-the-next-3-months-and-patents-mean-many-countries-wont-be-able-to-get-any/articleshow/76729248.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">The US bought up 90% of the world's supply of remdesivir for the next 3 months, and patents mean many countries won't be able to get any</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/gilead-rises-after-pricing-its-coronavirus-fighting-drug-remdesivir/articleshow/76692239.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Gilead rises after pricing its coronavirus-fighting drug remdesivir</a>

Cipla says COVID-19 drug Remdesivir will hit market this week

London, Jun 16 () Low doses of the steroid dexamethasone can reduce deaths by one-third in severely affected <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> patients, according to researchers who assessed the performance of the inexpensive drug in more than 2,100 people. The analysis is part of the RECOVERY (Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY) trial which was established to test a range of potential therapies for COVID-19, including low-dose dexamethasone -- a steroid treatment. The RECOVERY trial included over 11,500 patients, enrolled from more than 175 hospitals in the UK, noted a statement published by the University of Oxford on Tuesday. In the trial, a total of 2,104 patients were randomised to receive dexamethasone six milligrammes once per day -- either by mouth or by intravenous injection -- for ten days, and were compared with 4,321 patients randomised to usual care alone. Among the patients who received usual care alone, mortality was highest in those who required ventilation (41 per cent), intermediate in those patients who required oxygen only (25 per cent), and lowest among those who did not require any respiratory intervention (13 per cent), the scientists said. They found that dexamethasone reduced deaths by one-third in ventilated patients, and by one fifth in other patients receiving oxygen only. However, the researchers said there was no benefit from dexamethasone among the patients who did not require respiratory support. Based on these results, the scientists believe that the drug could prevent nearly one death in the treatment of around eight ventilated patients, or around 25 patients requiring oxygen alone. "Dexamethasone is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19. This is an extremely welcome result," said Peter Horby, one of the chief investigators of the trial from the University of Oxford in the UK. "The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment, so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients," Horby said. The drug, according to the scientists, is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide. "These preliminary results from the RECOVERY trial are very clear --dexamethasone reduces the risk of death among patients with severe respiratory complications," said Martin Landray, another chief investigator of the trial from the University of Oxford. "COVID-19 is a global disease – it is fantastic that the first treatment demonstrated to reduce mortality is one that is instantly available and affordable worldwide," Landray added. However, the drug is banned in-competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) but its usage is allowed out-of-competition if athletes have the requisite Therapeutic Usage Exemption (TUE). Asian bronze-winning Indian javelin thrower Davinder Singh Kang is currently under provisional suspension after returning positive for the substance in an in-competition test conducted last year. In 2017, Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos had tested positive for the drug during the Champions League but was let off after offering an apology for the team doctor's failure to disclose the medication he had taken.

Drug for COVID-19 patients - Low doses of the steroid dexamethasone can reduce deaths by one-third

Even as the world cheers the progress being made on several vaccines to protect against the Covid-19 pandemic, there is great excitement now on Molnupiravir, a new anti-viral drug which according to latest research completely suppresses virus transmission within 24 hours. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="79645493" title="Canada has enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to cover each citizen five times over while the fate of 67 poor countries remains undecided" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> If these ferret-based data translate to humans, Covid-19 patients treated with the drug could become non-infectious within 24 hours after the beginning of treatment. The drug is in advance phase II/III clinical trials against the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Molnupiravir is being developed by biotechnology firm <keyword id="10407025" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ridgeback-biotherapeutics">Ridgeback Biotherapeutics</keyword> in collaboration with Merck. Researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at the Georgia State University in the US have discovered that treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection with a new antiviral drug, Molnupiravir, completely suppresses virus transmission within 24 hours. The group led by Richard Plemper, professor at Georgia State University, originally discovered that the drug is potent against influenza viruses. "This is the first demonstration of an orally available drug to rapidly block SARS-CoV-2 transmission. MK-4482/EIDD-2801 could be game-changing," said Plemper. Interrupting widespread community transmission of Covid 19 until mass vaccination is available is paramount to managing COVID-19 and mitigating the catastrophic consequences of the pandemic. "Because the drug can be taken by mouth, treatment can be started early for a potentially three-fold benefit: inhibit patients' progress to severe disease, shorten the infectious phase to ease the emotional and socioeconomic toll of prolonged patient isolation and rapidly silence local outbreaks," the research found. "We noted early on that MK-4482/EIDD-2801 has broad-spectrum activity against respiratory RNA viruses and that treating infected animals by mouth with the drug lowers the amount of shed viral particles by several orders of magnitude, dramatically reducing transmission," said Plemper. "These properties made MK-4482/EIDD/2801 a powerful candidate for pharmacologic control of Covid-19," he added. In the study published in Nature Microbiology, Plemper's team repurposed MK-4482/EIDD-2801 against SARS-CoV-2 and used a ferret model to test the effect of the drug on halting virus spread. "We believe ferrets are a relevant transmission model because they readily spread SARS-CoV-2, but mostly do not develop severe disease, which closely resembles SARS-CoV-2 spread in young adults," said Robert Cox, a postdoctoral fellow in the Plemper group and a co-lead author of the study. The researchers infected ferrets with SARS-CoV-2 and initiated treatment with MK-4482/EIDD-2801 when the animals started to shed virus from the nose. "When we co-housed those infected and then treated source animals with untreated contact ferrets in the same cage, none of the contacts became infected," said Josef Wolf, a doctoral student in the Plemper lab and co-lead author of the study. By comparison, all contacts of source ferrets that had received placebo became infected. Reports suggest Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will soon take a decision on conducting human clinical trials for the drug. In a development related to the <keyword id="8852380" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19-vaccine">Covid 19 vaccine</keyword>, Britain's drug regulator has dismissed safety fears over the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine after a report revealed four people in a trial in the US got Bell's palsy. The condition, which is usually temporary, causes muscles on one side of the face to droop because of nerves not working properly. Daily Mail reported that four cases of it were found in a group of 21,720 people who had the Pfizer vaccine in a trial in the US, compared to none among 21,728 people given a placebo vaccine. But this rate of occurrence is no different to how often it would be expected to happen in a random population - in the UK there are around 20 to 30 cases per 100,000 people per year. The Food and Drug Administration in the US said in its report: 'The four cases in the vaccine group do not represent a frequency above that expected in the general population.' Daily Mail reported this means that it was almost certainly random that all the people who developed the condition happened to be in the vaccine group, and the same number of people would likely have got it in any group that size, regardless of a vaccine. The British counterpart, the MHRA, said: "The general safety profile of this vaccine is similar to other types of routinely used vaccine. No vaccine would be authorised for supply in the UK unless the expected standards of safety, quality and efficacy are met." The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, proven to be safe in clinical trials, is now being given to members of the public in Britain, which is the first country to give a jab to its citizens, the report said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/icertis-helps-google-microsoft-and-apple-manage-their-contracts-is-hiring-for-techies-and-people-in-sales/articleshow/79640659.cms">EXCLUSIVE: This Indian unicorn helping Google, Microsoft and Apple manage their contracts is hiring⁠— it needs techies as well as people in sales</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/what-is-pm-wani-public-wifi-platform-launched-by-union-cabinet/articleshow/79642267.cms">Government’s plan for public Wi-Fi lets anyone from the kirana store owner to tea shop stalls sign up to provide the internet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/the-33-billion-itc-one-of-indias-most-trolled-stock-in-recent-weeks-seems-to-have-turned-a-corner/articleshow/79641456.cms">The $33 billion ITC, one of India’s most-trolled stock in recent weeks, seems to have turned a corner</a>

New COVID-19 drug claims it can suppress transmission within 24 hours

Haridwar/New Delhi, Jun 23 () Yoga guru <keyword id="6369109" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ramdev">Ramdev</keyword>'s Patanjali on Tuesday launched what he claimed was the first ayurvedic medicine to cure coronavirus disease even as the scientific community the world over struggles to develop an effective cure for the highly contagious disease. Patanjali claimed 'Coronil' and 'Swasari' had shown 100 per cent favourable results during clinical trials on affected patients, at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar. Launching the medicines at a press conference in Haridwar, Ramdev claimed "100 per cent recovery rate in 7 days". The Corona kit will be made available at Rs 545, said Acharya Balkrishna, the MD of Patanjali Ayurved. The corona kit will have medicines for 30 days. Patanjali claims that its corona medicine kit can also be taken as prevention for coronavirus. This is not an immunity booster but a coronavirus cure, Ramdev said. Manufactured by Haridwar-based Divya Pharmacy and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, the medicine is the result of a research partnership between Patanjali Research Institute and the Jaipur based National Institute of Medical Sciences. The drug was clinically tried on 280 COVID-19 positive persons out of which 69 per cent were cured within three days, Ramdev said at the launch of the medicine held at Patanjali Yogpeeth in the presence of NIMS Director Dr Balbir Singh Tomar and allopathic and ayurvedic experts involved in the research behind making the drug. "100 per cent recovery from COVID-19 within seven days of consuming the medicine is guaranteed," Ramdev said. Coronil is made of the extracts of pure Giloy, Tulsi and Ashwagandha. A corona kit consisting of the three medicines - Coronil, Shwasari and Anu Tel. The other two medicines to be taken along with Coronil are 'Shwasari' which works on strengthening the respiratory system and cures the obvious symptoms of corona including cough, cold and fever and a nasal drop named 'Anu Tel' which helps build immunity, the firm said. Ramdev said the medicines can be ordered online through a mobile app from next Monday.

Ramdev's Patanjali launched COVID-19 medicine, 100% recovery in 7 days

<ul><li>Three studies, published in Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, researched the use of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir for the treatment of Covid-19. </li><li>These three studies come from Iran, which has developed its own pill containing sofosbuvir and daclatasvir, and is in a position to test this in a large clinical trial as Iran is a massively impacted country, reporting some 2,500 cases and 200 deaths a day.</li><li>Currently no effective antiviral therapy has been found to treat Covid-19. </li></ul>New research adds to the growing body of evidence that sofosbuvir and daclatasvir, a drug combination commonly used for the treatment of hepatitis C, can improve clinical outcomes in patients with moderate or severe Covid-19. Three studies, published in Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, researched the use of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir for the treatment of Covid-19. These three studies come from Iran, which has developed its own pill containing sofosbuvir and daclatasvir, and is in a position to test this in a large clinical trial as Iran is a massively impacted country, reporting some 2,500 cases and 200 deaths a day. "Despite the encouraging initial results, it is too early to reach a verdict. Larger, well-designed studies are required to confirm our results," said Shahin Merat, the lead author of one of the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy articles, from Tehran University in Iran. Currently no effective antiviral therapy has been found to treat Covid-19. The aim of the trials was to assess if the addition of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir, a drug combination commonly used for the treatment of hepatitis C, improved clinical outcomes in patients with moderate or severe Covid-19. In one trial, researchers recruited 66 patients and allocated them to either the treatment group or the control group. The study found that clinical recovery within 14 days was achieved by 88 per cent in the treatment group and 67 per cent in the control group. The treatment group had a significantly shorter median duration of hospitalisation (six days) than the control group (eight days). In another study, subjects suffering from Covid-19 were divided into two groups with one group receiving ribavirin and the other receiving sofosbuvir/daclatasvir. All participants also received the recommended national standard treatment which, at that time, was lopinavir/ritonavir and single-dose hydroxychloroquine. The results indicated that the median duration of stay was five days for the sofosbuvir/daclatasvir group and nine days for the ribavirin group. The mortality in the sofosbuvir/daclatasvir group was six per cent and 33 per cent for the ribavirin group. The relative risk of death for patients treated with sofosbuvir/daclatasvir was 0.17 per cent. The results of these studies suggest that the addition of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir to standard care may reduce the duration of hospital stays for Covid-19 patients compared to standard care alone. Earlier, a study published in the journal The Lancet, found that hepatitis C virus drugs may be effective in treating patients with Covid-19. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/future-retail-shares-tank-as-a-crucial-payment-deadline-expires/articleshow/77713123.cms">Kishore Biyani-led Future Retail averts a default — settles $14 million interest payment to investors</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/the-who-just-released-specific-mask-guidance-for-kids-as-they-gear-up-to-return-to-school-children-12-and-older-should-wear-them-as-adults-do/articleshow/77706822.cms">The WHO just released specific mask guidance for kids as they gear up to return to school: children 12 and older should wear them as adults do</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/education/news/more-than-half-the-parents-will-not-send-their-children-to-school-even-if-they-reopen-says-survey/articleshow/77720284.cms">More than half the parents will not send their children to school even if they reopen, says survey</a>

Hepatitis C medicines can help treat moderate or severe COVID-19 cases, claims study

<ul><li>Favipiravir has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes in some trials and has already been approved for use to treat Covid-19 in Russia and parts of the Middle East. </li><li>FDC launched two variants of Favipiravir in India at ₹55 per tablet under the brand names PiFLU and Favenza. </li><li>Several other companies have launched the generic versions of Favipiravir so far in India. </li><li>The cheapest version from Sun Pharmaceuticals' stable, which charges ₹35 per tablet. </li></ul>FDC has launched two variants of Favipiravir in India at ₹55 per tablet under the brand names PiFLU and Favenza. "Early diagnosis and treatment will help in arresting the deteriorating condition of patients, and we will be working with the government and healthcare fraternity to make Favenza and PiFLU available across the country” FDC spokesperson Mayank Tikkha <a href="https://www.indiatvnews.com/business/news-fdc-launches-2-variants-of-favipiravir-in-india-at-rs-55-per-tablet-covid-19-treatment-drug-644774">said</a>. According to FDC, both the variants are available in India. Favipiravir was originally developed to treat novel influenza in Japan and was sold by different manufacturers under the name Avigan, Abigan, and Fabiflu. Several other companies have launched the generic versions of Favipiravir so far in India. The cheapest version is developed by Sun Pharmaceuticals, which charges ₹35 per tablet. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Companies which launched Favipiravir </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Price </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Avigan </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹99 per tablet </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hetero </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹59 per tablet </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cipla </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹68 per tablet </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Glenmark </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹75 per tablet. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">FDC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹55 per tablet (Two variants) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sun Pharmaceutical Industries </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹35 per tablet </td></tr></tbody></table><keyword id="44587" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dr-Reddy">Dr Reddy</keyword>’s Laboratories, on August 19,<a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/dr-reddy-s-launches-innovator-brand-of-favipiravir-avigan-at-99-per-tablet-11597844567875.html"> joined the list of companies</a> which launched their own generic version of favipiravir in India. The company has priced ‘Avigan’ at ₹99 — a premium price when compared to other versions of the same drug. The whole course of the tablet is expected to cost over ₹12,000. Earlier this month, two more Indian pharma companies — Sun Pharmaceuticals and Zendara Pharma — said they are manufacturing Favipiravir in the country to treat coronavirus. Glenmark was the first to launch the drug in India followed by Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals on <a href="https://www.livemint.com/science/news/at-rs-35-per-tablet-sun-pharma-launches-fluguard-for-covid-treatment-11596532805116.html">August 4 announced </a>the launch of Favipiravir, under brand name FluGuard, at ₹35 per tablet for the treatment of mild to moderate cases of Covid-19 in India. The stocks of FluGuard will be available in the market from this week. "We are launching FluGuard at an economical price to make the drug accessible to more and more patients, thereby reducing their financial burden. This is in line with our continuous efforts to support India's pandemic response," Sun Pharma said. Hyderabad-based Zenara Pharma on August 5 <a href="https://theprint.in/health/zenara-pharma-latest-indian-firm-to-get-nod-for-covid-drug-favipiravir-to-call-it-favizen/475666/">announced that it has received approval</a> from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and sell Favipiravir tablets as a treatment option for patients with mild to moderate symptoms of Covid-19. The tablet, which will be sold under the brand name 'Favizen', is being manufactured at Zenara's US FDA approved state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad. Zara Pharma, a fully-owned subsidiary of Biophore India Pharmaceuticals, is in talks with multiple state institutions and several hospitals in India to ensure that Favizen is readily available for the patients in need. Favipiravir has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes in some trials and has already been approved for use to treat Covid-19 in Russia and parts of the Middle East. Advance stage trials are currently underway in several countries, including India. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-military-options-against-china-explained-by-experts/articleshow/77743778.cms">Experts explain India’s 'military options' against China</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/boris-johnson-plans-to-resign-in-6-months-because-of-lingering-coronavirus-health-problems-according-to-dominic-cummings-father-in-law/articleshow/77739903.cms">Boris Johnson plans to resign in 6 months because of lingering coronavirus health problems, according to Dominic Cummings' father-in-law</a>

FDC launches two variants of COVID-19 drug Favipiravir in India at ₹55 per tablet

<ul><li>Indoco Remedies, on September 26, launched its own version of generic Favipiravir under the brand name Fevindo. </li><li>Favipiravir has proven to be an effective antiviral drug in the treatment of COVID-19. </li><li>Several other companies have launched the generic versions of Favipiravir so far in India. </li><li>The cheapest version is developed by Sun Pharmaceuticals, which charges ₹35 per tablet. </li></ul>Indoco Remedies, on September 26, launched its own version of generic Favipiravir under the brand name ‘Fevindo’. Favipiravir has proven to be an effective antiviral drug in the treatment of COVID-19. “The COVID-19 crisis has created vast disruption to life in India and all over the globe. As part of the pharma industry, we have been able to do our bit in prevention of Covid-19 with our brands Karvol Plus, ATM, Febrex Plus and Rexidin SRS Mouthwash. With the launch of FEVINDO, we are taking the next step from prevention to the treatment of Covid-19,”Aditi Kare Panandikar, Managing Director, Indoco Remedies<a href="https://www.indoco.com/media-press-releases/press-release-26Sept20.pdf"> said. </a> Indoco has decided to introduce 400mg tablets in India. Though, it is yet to reveal the price for it. Indoco says Fevindo will be available at all government approved COVID-care centres, and selected medical practitioners across the country. Favipiravir was originally developed to treat novel influenza in Japan and was sold by different manufacturers under the name Avigan, Abigan and Fabiflu. Several other companies have launched the generic versions of Favipiravir so far in India. The cheapest version is developed by Sun Pharmaceuticals, which charges ₹35 per tablet. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Companies that have launched Favipiravir </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Price </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Indoco Remedies </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Unknown </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Dr Reddy’s lab </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹99 per tablet </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hetero </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹59 per tablet </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cipla </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹68 per tablet </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Glenmark </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹75 per tablet. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sun Pharmaceutical Industries </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹35 per tablet </td></tr></tbody></table> <keyword id="44587" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dr-Reddy">Dr Reddy</keyword>’s Laboratories, on August 19,<a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/dr-reddy-s-launches-innovator-brand-of-favipiravir-avigan-at-99-per-tablet-11597844567875.html"> joined the list of companies</a> which launched their own generic version of favipiravir in India. The company has priced ‘Avigan’ at ₹99 — a premium price when compared to other versions of the same drug. The whole course of the tablet is expected to cost over ₹12,000. In August, two more Indian pharma companies — Sun Pharmaceuticals and Zendara Pharma — said they are manufacturing Favipiravir in the country to treat coronavirus. Glenmark was the first to launch the drug in India followed by Cipla. Sun Pharmaceuticals on <a href="https://www.livemint.com/science/news/at-rs-35-per-tablet-sun-pharma-launches-fluguard-for-covid-treatment-11596532805116.html">August 4 announced </a>the launch of Favipiravir, under brand name FluGuard, at ₹35 per tablet for the treatment of mild to moderate cases of Covid-19 in India. The stocks of FluGuard will be available in the market from this week. "We are launching FluGuard at an economical price to make the drug accessible to more and more patients, thereby reducing their financial burden. This is in line with our continuous efforts to support India's pandemic response," Sun Pharma said. Hyderabad-based Zenara Pharma on August 5 <a href="https://theprint.in/health/zenara-pharma-latest-indian-firm-to-get-nod-for-covid-drug-favipiravir-to-call-it-favizen/475666/">announced that it has received approval</a> from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and sell Favipiravir tablets as a treatment option for patients with mild to moderate symptoms of Covid-19. The tablet, which will be sold under the brand name 'Favizen', is being manufactured at Zenara's US FDA approved state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad. Zara Pharma, a fully-owned subsidiary of Biophore India Pharmaceuticals, is in talks with multiple state institutions and several hospitals in India to ensure that Favizen is readily available for the patients in need. Favipiravir has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes in some trials and has already been approved for use to treat Covid-19 in Russia and parts of the Middle East. Advance stage trials are currently underway in several countries, including India. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/karnataka-braces-for-a-day-long-shutdown-on-monday-by-thousands-of-farmers/articleshow/78356568.cms">Karnataka braces for a day long shutdown on Monday by thousands of farmers</a>

Indoco Remedies launches 400mg tablets of Favipiravir in India

<ul><li>Biotechnology major <keyword id="6358361" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="biocon">Biocon</keyword> on Monday said it will launch biologic drug Itolizumab for the treatment of moderate to severe COVID-19 patients at a price of around 8,000 per vial. </li><li>The company has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to market Itolizumab injection 25mg/5mL solution for emergency use in India for the treatment of cytokine release syndrome in moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19. </li><li>Itolizumab is the first novel biologic therapy to be approved anywhere in the world for treating patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 complications, Biocon had earlier said in a regulatory filing. </li></ul> Biotechnology major Biocon on Monday said it will launch biologic drug Itolizumab for the treatment of moderate to severe COVID-19 patients at a price of around 8,000 per vial. As most patients need 4 vials, the cost of the therapy is around Rs 32,000, Mazumdar-Shaw said. The company has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to market Itolizumab injection 25mg/5mL solution for emergency use in India for the treatment of cytokine release syndrome in moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19. Itolizumab is the first novel biologic therapy to be approved anywhere in the world for treating patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 complications, Biocon had earlier said in a regulatory filing. "Until the vaccine comes, we certainly need life saving drugs. I think what we are doing across the world is to see how we can either repurpose drugs or develop new drugs to treat this pandemic," Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said in a virtual press conference. Even if we get a vaccine by the end of this year or early next year, there is no guarantee that there will not be reinfection, there is no guarantee that it will work the way we expect it to work, so we must be in a state of preparedness, she added. "When COVID happened, we said it actually gives us a very strong case to try it (Itolizumab) for COVID, because we do believe that the unique mechanism of action that it has can help us deal with this storm that we have seen is killing patients,'' Mazumdar-Shaw said. Itolizumab is approved for moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19, she added. On being asked if the company is ramping up the capacity to manufacture more vials on account of the pandemic, she said: "We have the manufacturing capacity and the supply and distribution network in place, however post this approval we are looking to ramp up production capacity to meet the expected surge in demand. Our aim is to reach a larger number of patients across the country". The drug will be manufactured and formulated as an intravenous injection at the company's bio-manufacturing facility at Biocon Park, Bengaluru. When asked about the steps the company is taking to ensure availability of the drug, Mazumdar-Shaw said: "Alzumab is already in market, we will be supplying to hospitals as per protocol against a medical prescription and patient consent form. Currently, there is a huge demand and Biocon wants to ensure Itolizumab first reaches those patients who need them the most". AKT BAL

Biocon to launch drug for COVID-19 patients at ₹ 8,000 per vial

<ul><li>Remdesivir has little or no effect on hospitalised COVID-19 patients, according to a new study by the World Health Organisation (WHO).</li><li>When coronavirus pandemic initially broke, it emerged as one of the most preferred treatments for the disease around the world.</li><li>In July, Gilead released further data suggesting that Remdesivir <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/978b4f8a-62b5-43a0-ad32-dda1930ec47c">may improve chances of survival among COVID-19 patients.</a> However, these findings were not confirmed by a randomised controlled trial until now. </li><li>Even before WHO’s study, a Lancet report <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/remdesivir-the-coronavirus-miracle-drug-may-be-overhyped-suggests-lancet-study/articleshow/75470476.cms">contradicted </a>Gilead’s claims indicating that the drug may not be the most ‘promising’ treatment for coronavirus.</li><li>Not just Remdesivir, no repurposed drug or combination including Hydroxychloroquine <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/health/coronavirus-remdesivir-who.html">reduced </a>chances of death of a COVID-19 patient, according to the <keyword id="808941" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="WHO-study">WHO study</keyword>. </li></ul>Remdesivir, one of the earliest touted treatments for COVID-19 in the world, is not effective in preventing deaths of coronavirus patients, according to a study sponsored by the World Health Organisation study. The results of the study — <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ee9b611f-2b4b-4572-afe1-b0b804d17a94">covering</a> over 2,700 people for Remdesivir across 30 countries — were posted online on October 15 and are not peer-reviewed yet. The researchers tried to treat a patient with Remdesivir for 10 days, where each patient received a 200 milligrams (mg) dose on the first day and 100 mg doses on subsequent days. “These Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on hospitalized COVID-19, as indicated by overall mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay,” noted the findings of the WHO’s Solidarity trial that was released on medRxiv. Gildead disagrees with WHO study Remdesivir was originally developed by Gilead Sciences to treat the Ebola virus and Hepatitis C. The company has so far <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/health/coronavirus-remdesivir-who.html">refuted</a> all the claims made by the WHO study. It asserts that more rigorous studies have found Remdesivir beneficial. “The emerging data appear inconsistent with more robust evidence from multiple randomised, controlled studies validating the clinical benefit of (Remdesivir),” Gilead <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ee9b611f-2b4b-4572-afe1-b0b804d17a94">said </a>in a comment. WHO has not made in public comment since the study is not public yet. Not just Remdesivir, no repurposed drug or combination including Hydroxychloroquine <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/health/coronavirus-remdesivir-who.html">reduced </a>chances of death of a COVID-19 patient, according to the WHO study. WHO study brings bad tidings for Remdesivir producers Remdesivir is currently the only antiviral drug <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/15/health/coronavirus-remdesivir-who.html">authorised </a>for treating COVID-19 in the US. It was taken by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/trump-baselessly-says-he-may-be-immune-to-covid-19-after-being-hospitalized-and-treated-with-a-steroid-used-for-severe-cases/articleshow/78505594.cms">US President Donald Trump </a>when he was admitted to the hospital after testing positive for the virus. India’s Health Ministry too approved the use of the drug to treat mild cases of coronavirus. However, the drug is not recommended to treat those who have several renal impairments, pregnant and lactating women, children below 12 years age. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cost of Remdesivir treatment in India </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Brand </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cost of Therapy </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hetero </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Covifor </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹32,400 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cipla </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cipremi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹24,000 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Jubilant Lifesciences </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">JUBI-R </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹28,200 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cadila Healthcare </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Remdac </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹16,800 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mylan </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Desrem </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹28,800 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Dr Reddy’s </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Redyx </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹32,400 </td></tr></tbody></table>Source:Nomura report dated October, 2020. There are six pharmaceutical giants in India — including Hetero Labs, Jubilant Lifesciences, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Biocon firm Syngene and Zydus Cadila Healthcare — who have signed a non-exclusive agreement with Gilead to produce Remdesivir. The WHO study is likely to be a setback for all the pharmaceutical companies producing Remdesivir. The increasing number of cases in India drove the demand for Remdesivir. According to industry experts, Remdesivir was bringing in at least ₹6.5 million to ₹13 million in revenues per day at the current caseload. “Assuming 5% to 10% market share, we estimate current demand at 1,200 to 2,400 vials per day, which translates to ₹6.5 million to ₹ 13 million in revenues per day at the current caseload. We factor in ₹1.2 billion and ₹0.9 billion in sales from Remdesivir in FY21F and FY22F respectively,” a Nomura report dated October 2020 said. WHO isn’t alone in its skepticism of Gilead’s Remdesivir Remdesivir emerged as one of the most preferred treatments for COVID-19 — this new found disease that was threatening the world — largely driven by Gilead’s narrative. Even before WHO’s study, a Lancet report <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/remdesivir-the-coronavirus-miracle-drug-may-be-overhyped-suggests-lancet-study/articleshow/75470476.cms">contradicted</a> the pharmaceutical giant’s claims indicating that Remedesivir may not be the most ‘promising’ treatment for coronavirus. It warned that Remdesivir provided no clinical benefits to patients who have tested for coronavirus. Despite the warnings, Gilead Sciences continue to claim Remdesivir as a plausible treatment for COVID-19. In July, Gilead released further data suggesting that it <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/978b4f8a-62b5-43a0-ad32-dda1930ec47c">may improve chances of survival. </a>However, these findings have not been confirmed by a randomised controlled trial until now. “What all of us would like to see is what is frequently called a ‘magic bullet’; a drug that’s already in existence, that is safe and works effectively in patients. Unfortunately, in this case, this trial at least suggests the benefits of Remdesivir weren’t there at all,” Julie Fischer, an associate research professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Georgetown University <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/16/who-trial-finds-repurposed-drugs-have-little-effect-on-covid-19">told Al Jazeera</a>. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/chinas-covid-19-coronavirus-is-safe-prompts-antibody-response-says-a-lancet-study/articleshow/78696495.cms">China's COVID-19 coronavirus is safe, prompts antibody response, says Lancet </a>

Remdesivir drug fails to reduce mortality or hospital stay of COVID-19 patients, says WHO study

Melbourne, Apr 10 () Scientists have identified six drug candidates from more than 10,000 compounds that may help treat COVID-19. The research, published in the journal Nature, tested the efficacy of approved drugs, drug candidates in clinical trials and other compounds. "Currently there are no targeted therapeutics or effective treatment options for COVID-19," said Professor Luke Guddat from the University of Queensland in Australia. "In order to rapidly discover lead compounds for clinical use, we initiated a programme of high-throughput drug screening, both in laboratories and also using the latest computer software to predict how different drugs bind to the virus," Guddat said. The project targeted the main COVID-19 virus enzyme, known as the main protease or Mpro, which plays a pivotal role in mediating viral replication, the researchers said. This makes it an attractive drug target for this virus, and as people don't naturally have this enzyme, compounds that target it are likely to have low toxicity, they said. "We add the drugs directly to the enzyme or to cell cultures growing the virus and assess how much of each compound is required to stop the enzyme from working or to kill the virus. If the amount is small, then we have a promising compound for further studies," said Guddat. After assaying thousands of drugs, researchers found of the six that appear to be effective in inhibiting the enzyme, one is of particular interest. "We're particularly looking at several leads that have been subjected to clinical trials including for the prevention and treatment of various disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, stroke, atherosclerosis and cancer," Guddat said. Researchers said compounds that are already along the pipeline to drug discovery are preferred, as they can be further tested as antivirals at an accelerated rate compared to new drug leads that would have to go through this process from scratch. "With continued and up-scaled efforts we are optimistic that new candidates can enter the COVID-19 drug discovery pipeline in the near future," Guddat said. SARSAR

Scientists identify six potential drugs for COVID-19

Hello,Welcome to <keyword id="11894896" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="insider-healthcare" source="Orion">Insider Healthcare</keyword>. I'm Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, and this week in <keyword id="11897506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="healthcare" source="Orion">healthcare</keyword> news:<ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/analysis-upstart-insurers-alignment-bright-and-clover-are-employing-doctors-2021-7"></a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-top-catalysts-for-covid-19-vaccines-drugs-in-2021-2021-9">The 10 big events to pay attention to when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments</a>;</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-cambridge-boston-according-to-investors-vcs-2021-8">We broke down where the top biotechs (according to VCs) are based</a>;</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-medical-acquires-iora-health-ceo-interview-one-stop-primary-care-2021-9">Find out why One Medical made its $1.4 billion bet on Iora</a>. </li></ul>If you're new to this newsletter, <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/insider-healthcare">sign up here.</a> Tips, comments? Email me at <a href="mailto:lramsey@insider.com">lramsey@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/lydiaramsey125">@lydiaramsey125</a>. Let's get to it...As you might expect, there'll be no newsletter Monday. Have a great long weekend, and see you Tuesday!<h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-top-catalysts-for-covid-19-vaccines-drugs-in-2021-2021-9"></a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-top-catalysts-for-covid-19-vaccines-drugs-in-2021-2021-9">What's next for vaccines and treatments</a></h3>Following Pfizer's vaccine approval, there's still <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-top-catalysts-for-covid-19-vaccines-drugs-in-2021-2021-9">more to come</a> as drugmakers look to get <keyword id="11907020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="vaccines" source="Orion">vaccines</keyword> as well as <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> <keyword id="12019702" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="treatments" source="Orion">treatments</keyword> into more people. Andrew Dunn rounded up 10 newsworthy moments to keep an eye out for in the remainder of 2021. They include updates on new antiviral treatments as well as when we might get shots authorized for kids 12 and under. <h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-top-catalysts-for-covid-19-vaccines-drugs-in-2021-2021-9">Here's what to expect&gt;&gt;</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-top-catalysts-for-covid-19-vaccines-drugs-in-2021-2021-9">Vaccines for kids, game-changing treatments, and the fate of booster shots: Here are the top 10 COVID-19 events to watch for in 2021</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-cambridge-boston-according-to-investors-vcs-2021-8"><div type="image" title="MIT" height="531" width="708" msid="85900342" hostid="261"></div></a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-cambridge-boston-according-to-investors-vcs-2021-8">Top biotechs on either coast</a></h3>Investors this summer picked out biotechs <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-according-to-vcs-investors-2021">they think are set to take off in the next year</a>.For those closely following the <keyword id="11908912" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="biotech" source="Orion">biotech</keyword> industry, it may come as no surprise to find that a good number of the companies are based in one of two places: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-san-francisco-bay-area-vcs-investors-2021">the Bay Area</a> or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-cambridge-boston-according-to-investors-vcs-2021-8">the Boston area.</a>Andrew and Allison DeAngelis have the bicoastal lists up this week. <h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-cambridge-boston-according-to-investors-vcs-2021-8">Check it out&gt;&gt;</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-cambridge-boston-according-to-investors-vcs-2021-8">6 of the top Boston-area biotech upstarts that VCs say are poised to take off in the next 12 months</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-biotech-startups-san-francisco-bay-area-vcs-investors-2021">9 top Bay Area biotechs that VCs say are poised to take off in the next year</a></h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-medical-acquires-iora-health-ceo-interview-one-stop-primary-care-2021-9"><div type="image" title="one_medical_posters" height="1236" width="1648" msid="85900344" hostid="261"></div></a><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-medical-acquires-iora-health-ceo-interview-one-stop-primary-care-2021-9">Inside the One Medical-Iora deal</a></h3>The $1.4 billion One Medical-Iora deal closed on Wednesday. Mohana Ravindranath spoke to the leaders of the two (now one) companies to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-medical-acquires-iora-health-ceo-interview-one-stop-primary-care-2021-9">learn more about the decision to combine the primary care organizations.</a>The thinking: One Medical wants to treat people when they're young, but also when they age into Medicare at 65. "If we're going to try to attract you, how about your parents or your grandparents? Or if you have kids, your kids. We're speaking across a common brand, and ultimately across common technology platforms," One Medical CEO Amir Rubin told us. <h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-medical-acquires-iora-health-ceo-interview-one-stop-primary-care-2021-9">Read more from the interview&gt;&gt;</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-medical-acquires-iora-health-ceo-interview-one-stop-primary-care-2021-9">One Medical is making a $1.4 billion bet on eldercare pioneer Iora. CEO Amir Rubin tells us why.</a></h3>More stories that kept us busy this week:<ul><li>Be sure to check out <a href="https://www.insider.com/people-pulling-out-their-iud-to-avoid-costs-doctor-refusal-2021-8">this piece on the steps people are taking to get IUDs removed.</a></li><li>The jury's <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/02/tech/elizabeth-holmes-theranos-jury/index.html">been selected</a> for Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes' trial. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/theranos-elizabeth-holmes-fraud-trial-what-you-need-to-know-2021-8">Catch up on everything you need to know heading into the trial here.</a></li><li>Psychedelics companies are acting like biotechs. So maybe it shouldn't be a big surprise that some top biotech VCs are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gh-research-psychedelics-company-depression-healthcare-investors-2021-9">getting on board</a>. Yeji Jesse Lee has the story of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gh-research-psychedelics-company-depression-healthcare-investors-2021-9">$1.1 billion psychedelics company GH Research</a>, which has drawn backing from top healthcare investors.</li></ul>- Lydia

What's ahead for COVID-19 drugs and vaccines in 2021

Guwahati, Mar 30 () The IIT-Guwahati on Monday saidit is working on developing a drug for treatment of COVID-19patients and planning to set up a dedicated centre forresearch on the deadly virus. The premier institute also said it has developed apolymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine, which can analyse1,000 samples in 12 hours, and two such units have alreadybeen supplied to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital(GMCH). "As there are no approved drugs presently availablefor the disease, the faculty members are in the process ofdeveloping small molecules inhibitors for the treatment ofCOVID-19 using modern biotechnological tools," the IIT-Guwahati said in a statement. The overall idea is to develop safe, efficacious andaffordable drug for the treatment of COVID-19 patients andother dreadful viral infections, it added. Multiple efforts are being made for developingvaccine at the department of bio-science and bio-engineering,while other departments are involved in finding multipleroutes to have a diagnostic and therapeutic approach for earlydetection of various viral infections, the statement said. "The faculty members of bio-science and bio-engineering and chemistry departments and Centre forNanotechnology have also initiated research to combat COVID-19," it added. The institute is in the process of setting up anadvanced research centre for COVID-19 analysis, which willhelp the northeast region to test for the novel coronavirusand detection of other such deadly virus. "Our idea is to make this a state-of-the-art facilityfor the northeast region. "This centre in future will help to develop highlycompetent manpower for diagnosis of different infectiousdiseases in the early stage of infection and their preventiontoo," IIT-G Director T G Sitharam said.He said it has provided two real-time PCR machines,which have been developed in-house and patented, to the GMCHfor the diagnosis of coronavirus. "These machines will help in ramping up the testingprocess by analysing 1,000 samples if run for 12 hourscontinuously and 2,000 samples in 24 hours," the statementsaid. In addition, the departments of mechanicalengineering and electronics and electrical engineering aremaking efforts to develop robot-based drug and food carryingunit to work in isolation wards, robotic screening units amongothers. The institute is also working on to manufacturehospital beds, ventilators, medical waste disposal in theisolation wards and masks and hand sanitisers, the statementsaid. "IIT-Guwahati has prepared hand sanitisers and is inthe process of preparing at least 5,000 sanitiser bottlesto provide them to the GMCH and the Assam government," itsaid.The department of design has also developed aprototype 3D printed full-face shield, including head gear,which can be scaled up immediately, an official said. TRBDC BDC

IIT-G working on developing COVID-19 drug

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11908241" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="astrazeneca" source="Orion">AstraZeneca</keyword> said its <keyword id="11930696" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="antibody" source="Orion">antibody</keyword> drug cut the risk of severe COVID-19 in half in a late-stage study.</li><li>The drug, called AZD7442, is a combination of two antibodies given as an injection.</li></ul>AstraZeneca's antibody drug cut the risk of severe COVID-19 by at least 50% in a late stage study, <a href="https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/astraz/media-centre/press-releases/2021/azd7442-phiii-trial-positive-in-covid-outpatients.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the company announced on Monday. </a>The injection, called AZD7442, contains two different <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-variants-antibody-antibodies-adapt-arms-race-immune-system-virus-2021-9">antibodies</a> developed from the the blood of people who previously contracted COVID-19. It's the first drug of its kind shown to both prevent and treat COVID-19 in late-stage trials, the company <a href="https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/astraz/media-centre/press-releases/2021/azd7442-phiii-trial-positive-in-covid-outpatients.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a press release</a>.<a href="https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/astraz/media-centre/press-releases/2021/azd7442-request-for-emergency-use-authorization-for-covid-19-prophylaxis-filed-in-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The company has already requested Food and Drug Administration (FDA)</a> approval to use AZD7442 to prevent COVID-19, after late-stage trial results in August showed it reduced the risk of COVID-19 with symptoms by 77%.It would now discuss the latest data with <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword> authorities, it said.The results come after Merck, the US pharmaceutical company, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/merck-asks-fda-to-authorize-covid-19-antiviral-pill-2021-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on Monday it would ask the FDA</a> to authorize its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-antiviral-pills-results-coming-impacting-the-pandemic-2021-9">oral COVID-19 pill</a>, which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/merck-asks-fda-to-authorize-covid-19-antiviral-pill-2021-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">halved the risk of hospitalization or death</a> in a trial. The latest AstraZeneca results, from the TACKLE trial, showed that the risk of severe COVID-19 or death was halved if people took the drug within seven days of COVID-19 symptoms, AstraZeneca said. Out of 407 people who got the drug, 18 developed severe COVID-19 or died - compared with 37 of 415 people who got a saline injection.If AZD7442 was given earlier, within five days of symptoms, the risk of severe COVID-19 was reduced by 67%, the company said. On this timing, nine of 253 participants in the AZD7442 group got severe COVID-19 or died, compared with 27 out of 251 in the placebo group.AstraZeneca tested the drug on 822 adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 in 13 countries, including the US and UK, it said. The drug, which works by stopping the virus that causes COVID-19 from binding to the body's cells, was "generally well tolerated," it said in the release. It didn't detail any side effects.<h2>Protection for vulnerable people</h2>Mene Pangalos, executive vice president at AstraZeneca, <a href="https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/astraz/media-centre/press-releases/2021/azd7442-phiii-trial-positive-in-covid-outpatients.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a statement </a> that "early intervention with our antibody can give a significant reduction in progression to severe disease, with continued protection for more than six months."AstraZeneca looked at the drug's impact at day 29 of the TACKLE study, which is expected to follow participants for up to 15 months. AstraZeneca's early stage studies have previously shown that antibodies last at least nine months after the drug is given.Penny Ward, visiting professor in pharmaceutical medicine at Kings College, London, said in a statement that long lasting protection, up to 12 months, may be "a useful addition for immune-suppressed individuals whose response to vaccination is suboptimal."Most people in the trial, 90%, had comorbidities that put them at high risk of severe COVID-19, including cancer, diabetes, obesity, chronic lung disease or asthma, cardiovascular disease, or immunosuppression, and 13% were aged over 65, AstraZeneca said.Ward said that unlike oral pills, monoclonal antibody treatments given as an injection, such as AstraZeneca's, don't interfere with other medicines. This "may potentially make administration simpler for these patients," she said.

AstraZeneca says its COVID-19 drug cuts the risk of severe disease in half. It's the first antibody cocktail shown to both prevent and treat the disease in late-stage trials.

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What's ahead for COVID-19 drugs and vaccines in 2021

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IIT-G working on developing COVID-19 drug

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