Pakistan’s AGP Ltd to soon start selling Remedsivir drug in the country

Pakistan’s pharmaceutical company AGP Limited, a partner of Mylan NV, is planning to sell Covid-19 treatment drug Remdesivir, in the country within two months.

As per Bloomberg, AGP Chief Executive Officer Nusrat Munshi informed that the company would seek permission from the country’s drug authority i.e. Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to import the medicine.

The development comes just weeks after Pakistani pharmaceutical company Ferozsons Laboratories has reached an agreement with Gilead Science Inc for the manufacture and sale of Remdesivir in the country.

“BF Biosciences Limited (BFBL) a subsidiary of Ferozsons Laboratories Limited has successfully concluded its non-exclusive license agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. for the manufacture and sale of Remdesivir under Gilead’s Global Patient Solutions Program serving the developing world,” state Ferozsons in its filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

Gilead has signed nonexclusive voluntary licenses agreements with five South Asian manufacturers - Hetero, Jubilant Lifesciences, Cipla, Mylan and BFBL - to manufacture Remdesivir for distribution in 127 countries.

“Under the licensing agreements, the companies have a right to receive a technology transfer of the Gilead manufacturing process for Remdesivir to enable them to scale up production more quickly,” it added.

Meanwhile, AGP has also reached a similar arrangement for the Hepatitis C treatment Sovaldi, which the company will import from Mylan.