Hetero Labs wins approval to sell COVID-19 drug

Hyderabad based drug maker Hetero Labs has received regulatory approval to sell its generic version of the anti-viral drug Favipiravir to treat COVID-19. The drug, priced the drug at INR 59 ($0.79) per tablet, is approved to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 and will be available at drug stores from today, news agency Reuters reported.

“The generic version is being manufactured at our world-class formulation facility in India, which has been approved by stringent global regulatory authorities such as USFDA and the EU, among others, Hetero said in a statement.

An oral anti-viral medication, the product has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes. Favivir improves treatment accessibility to a significant amount of COVID-19 patient population, which usually sustains mild to moderate symptoms, it added.

Favipiravir is the second drug developed by Hetero after remdesivir, also used in the treatment of COVID-19. Favipiravir was originally developed by Japan’s Fujifilm Holdings Corp under the brand name Avigan for treating influenza. Hetero is also among the drugmakers that have a license with US-based Gilead Science Inc to make remdesivir.