India's Cipla to Take Influenza Drug to Human Trial for COVID-19, an Industrial Info Market Brief

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Indian pharmaceuticals major, Cipla Limited, has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct clinical trials of the influenza drug Favipiravir to examine its efficacy in treating COVID-19. After acquiring the drug production process from the state-run Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Cipla sought approval from Indian regulators to launch the experimental drug.

IICT has developed a cost-effective synthetic process for producing Favipiravir, which was originally produced by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Limited in Japan for treatment of common influenza.

According to a press release by India's Ministry of Science and Technology, as a collaborative effort with the industry, the IICT has transferred the entire process and significant quantities of pharma-grade active pharmaceutical ingredients of Favipiravir to Cipla, with whom the institute had collaborated earlier to develop drugs that could prove to be effective against COVID-19. Industrial Info is tracking 21 Cipla projects worth $115.75 million. Click here for a list and see map below.