Covid-19: Pakistani co gets licence to make drug for oral treatment

KARACHI: The Pakistani pharmaceutical company, Remington Pharmaceuticals, has been granted licenses to develop, manufacture, and supply generic versions of the world’s first two oral treatments for COVID-19 by Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), making it the first and only Pakistani company to receive the prestigious global authorization.

Under the said license from MPP, Remington Pharma will be manufacturing generic versions of the molnupiravir 200mg Capsules (RLD: Lagevrio, Merck & Co.) to 105 countries and nirmatrelvir/ ritonavir (RLD: PAXLOVID™, Pfizer) with the approval and authorization from MPP to supply in Pakistan and export to 95 countries.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khokhar, Chairman, Remington Pharmaceuticals said, “Remington Pharmaceu-ticals has been at the forefront of supplying quality-assured, cost-effective medicines in Pakistan and to other low- and middle-income countries for over 40 years, and now this is a step towards taking our efforts truly global. After recently becoming the first nationally-owned pharmaceutical company to attain the World Health Organization (WHO) Prequalification (Geneva HQ), this is another moment of pride for us that Remington Pharmaceuticals has become the only pharmaceutical company from Pakistan to receive these global supply licenses by standing in a race where majority of the other licensees are from India.”

With the presence of the licensed generic product at affordable prices, we as a country should take this as an opportunity to move towards promoting research in the country. This will surely bring Pakistan on the map of global drug development research.

Remington Pharma has already obtained the formulation of Transfer of Technology, from the originators, for the development and manufacturing generic versions of the revolutionary treatments against COVID-19.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022