Pandemic Perspectives: Remdesivir, Favipiravir’s Eventful Journeys In India A Year On

 
• By Anju Ghangurde
  
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COVID-19 doesn't seem to be going away any time soon and antivirals remdesivir and favipiravir remain part of the treatment armamentarium. “Safety inventories” are in place for remdesivir in India, while a key physician anticipates an uptick in the use of favipiravir amid a surge in cases in some parts of the country.

stairway in the woods
Tracing the journey of key antivirals in India amid COVID-19 • Source: Shutterstock

Pandemic Perspectives

One year on from the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic on 11 March 2020, editors across Informa Pharma Intelligence publications are taking a closer look at its impact and possible lasting implications for the biopharma and medtech industries.

From limited supplies and black marketing in the early days, to subdued sales as COVID-19 cases declined, and now back to a potential uptick in usage as infections surge, antivirals like remdesivir have had an eventful several months in India, mirroring the peaks and troughs of the devastating pandemic. Another antiviral, favipiravir, which has seen cut-price competition, has likewise seen its fortunes fluctuate in the country.

Remdesivir in particular may have received varying global endorsement, but the recent surge in infections in many parts of the...

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