RLS gets DCGI nod for Corona drug Favipiravir

Hyderabad: City-based Raghava Life Sciences Limited (RLS) on Monday said it received Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approval to manufacture and market bulk drug (API) for Favipiravir which is being widely used for the treatment of Covid-19.

RLS Managing Director P Lohit Reddy said that pharma companies such as Lupin, Hetero, Cipla and Sun Pharma recently launched oral pills of favipiravir under their own brands at competitive prices.

"Favipiravir is being widely considered successful in treating Covid patients. The medicine is currently being prescribed to Covid-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms.

A data from clinical trials involving 150 subjects showed that about 70 per cent of the patients being treated with the drug achieved clinical cure by the fourth day of the study, compared with about 45 per cent in the standard care group," Reddy said.

Advanced stage trials of favipiravir are currently underway in several countries including India. RLS, which also specializes in contract research projects, received approval to supply the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of the drug to formulation companies.