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DCGI asks manufacturers to provide information related to projected production of Covid-19 drugs
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Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
May 21 , 2021
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In order to cater to the current and future requirement of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has asked manufacturers to provide information related to projected production of favipiravir tablets, ivermectin tablets, methyl prednisolone injection, dexamethasone tablets and injections, enoxaparin injection, budesonide inhalation, paracetamol tablets, naproxen tablets, dalteparin injection, doxycycline tablets/capsules, prednisolone tablets, azithromycin tablets, hydoxychloroquine tablets, itolizumab injection, apixaban, amphotericin B liposomal injection and posaconazole injection for next four months.
A high level meeting by Niti Aayog has also been convened to examine stock, supply and availability of drugs which are used for Covid-19 treatment.
This is with reference to the DCGI letters of even number dated May 4 2021, May 5, 2021, May 7, 2021 and May 17, 2021 regarding enhancing the production capacity.
DCGI and National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) are coordinating with manufacturers to enhance production and getting data about current stock, current capacities, along with the projected production for the May, 2021.
In the case of remdesivir, the number of plants producing this drug increased from 20 to 60 resulting in 3 times more availability in just 25 days. Production ramped up 10 times, from 10 lakhs vials a month between April and May to one crore in a span of 30 days.
Tocilizumab injection too is made available in the country by importing 20 times more than what was being done in normal times. Dexamethasone 0.5 mg tablets production enhanced from 6-8 times within a month and we are able to double the manufacturing capacity. Enoxaparin injection production too has increased 4 times in just one month. Methylprednisolone injection production was also augmented 3 times in a month. Ivermectin 12 mg tab production expanded in the country by 5 times within a month from 150 lakh in April to 770 lakhs in May, 2021.
In the case of the favirpiravir which is a non-protocol drug but prescribed to lower the virus load, the production increased 4 times within a month from 326.5 lakh in April this year to 1,644 lakh in May.
With the black fungus incidence raging in the country and to offset the shortfall of Amphoterecin B injection, its production ramped up by 3 times in a month. At least 3.80 lakh vials are in production and 3 lakh vials are being imported. The total availability to be made in the country will be 6.80 lakh vials.
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