MSN plans to roll out cheapest Covid-19 drug at Rs 33 per tablet

Hyderabad-based generic pharmaceuticals company MSN Group has planned to launch the cheapest Covid-19 treatment drug - Favipiravir 200 mg, for Rs 33, according to multiple reports.

The affordable version of the anti-viral drug will be marketed under the brand name 'Favilow', and will be available in all pharmacies across India, according to a report by the Telangana Today. The 400 mg version of Favilow will also be launched soon in the market, according to the report.

Read: Sun Pharma latest to sell Covid-19 drug favipiravir at Rs 35 in India

“We are happy to launch our product during a tough time when Covid-19 cases in the country are increasing. Our aim is to provide a quality medicine that is accessible to everyone,” Dr MSN Reddy, CMD, MSN Group told the news agency.

Favipiravir was originally developed by Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp under the brand name Avigan for treating influenza.

'Favilow' will be available in 200 mg tablets in all drug stores and hospital pharmacies with a prescription from a healthcare practitioner, according to the Indian Express.

The company will be launching the drug on August 15 and will be manufactured from its formulation I facility located in Bollaram, Hyderabad, the Indian Express reported.

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“We have capabilities as well as capacities to develop the active pharmaceutical ingredient (APIs) as well as the finished formulation of Favilow. Our manufacturing site in Bollaram has the capacity to produce one billion tablets per annum. However, the production needs to be scaled up to meet the rising demand. We have another facility in Kothur, on the Bangalore-Hyderabad highway, which can be used for fulfilling the requirements,” Bharat Reddy, Executive Director, MSN Laboratories told IE.

Earlier, Hetero Labs Ltd had received regulatory approval to sell its version of favipiravir priced at Rs 59 per tablet, which came to the market on July 29.

Also Read: Lupin to sell generic Covid-19 drug favipiravir

On July 24, drug firm Jenburkt Pharmaceuticals said it has launched antiviral drug Favipiravir under the brand name 'Favivent' at a price of Rs 39 per tablet.

The drug was approved to treat mild to moderate Covid-19. Favipiravir and another anti-viral medicine, Remdesivir, have emerged as the most sought after medicines to treat the novel coronavirus in India, which already approved the drugs as emergency treatments to fight the outbreak.

Other Indian drugmakers developing or selling favipiravir include Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited and Cipla Ltd, privately held Brinton Pharma.

Also Read: Hetero gets approval to launch Covid-19 drug favipiravir, to be priced at Rs 59

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 recovery rate in India has risen to 70.77 percent on Thursday with the total number of patients recuperating from the disease reaching nearly 17 lakh, while the case fatality rate has further declined to 1.96 percent, the Union Health Ministry said.

(With inputs from Agencies - Reuters, PTI)