3 COVID-19 treatment drugs available in India today

Coronavirus pandemic has killed over 4.7 lakh people across the globe. In India, the death toll is over 13,000. The good news is that DGCI has given nod to 3 companies to roll out their COVID-19 treatment medicine in India. These companies are -- Cipla, Glenmark and Hetero. And the three medicines are called Cipremi, FabiFlu and Covifor.

The three have reportedly shown good results so far and will be now slowly put into use under strict medical observation.

Here is everything we know about these drugs.

CIPREMI

• Cipla has launched its own remedesivir under the name of Cipremi. The medicine is lyophilized powder for injection 100mg. 
• The drug will be marketed by both the government and market channels. 
• The drug has been approved for adult and paediartric patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 infection. The drug is most affective on those who need oxygen support.
• The drug is most affective on those who need oxygen support. 
• Cipla is yet to disclose the pricing for the drug.

FABIFLU

• Priced at Rs 3,500 for 34 tablets, the dosage is 200 mg X 9 tablets on day one and 200 mg X 4 tablets a day for 14 days.
• Global trials show the efficacy of over 80-88%; Japan, Bangladesh and UAE already use the drug for COVID-19 treatment.
• The drug will be available both through hospitals and the retail channel.
• Reportedly, Strides Pharma, Brinton Pharmaceuticals, Lasa Supergenerics and Optimus Pharma among firms readying its launch
• Glenmark had developed the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and the formulation for FabiFlu through in-house R&D.
• Favipiravir is backed by strong clinical evidence, showing encouraging results in patients with mild to moderate Covid-19.
• Patients from over 10 leading government and private hospitals were enrolled for the study.
• It offers rapid reduction in viral load within four days and provides faster symptomatic and radiological improvement.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

  COVIFOR

• The drug will be available in 100 mg injectable form which has to be administered intravenously in a hospital setting under the supervision of a healthcare professional. It is not a drug you can take at home. 
• The company is sure about enough stock to cater to the present needs of the medicine. 
• Hetero has confirmed that Covifor would cost between 5,000 to 6,000 per dose. 
• The COVID-19 treatment by Covifor will cost not more than 30,000 per patient. Six dozes of the medicine will be given in this timeframe.