Pakistan to start production of coronavirus drug in eight weeks: Zafar Mirza

• He said Gilead has given a voluntary licence to Pakistan along with five other companies.
• Once Pakistan starts the production, the country will be able to export the drug to 127 countries, the SAPM said.

Pakistan will start manufacturing coronavirus treatment drug Remdesivir in the next few months after getting license from US pharmaceutical company Gilead.

In a presser on Friday, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan (SAPM) on Health Zafar Mirza announced that Gilead, manufactured this drug and it has proven effective in treating coronavirus patients. "It is said that the use of the drug has reduced the intensity of the virus by 30%," the SAPM said.

He continued that Gilead has given a voluntary licence to Pakistan along with five other companies. Zafar said that the Pakistani pharmaceutical company will start production in eight weeks after getting the necessary regulatory approvals.

The SAPM further said once Pakistan starts the production, the country will be able to export the drug to 127 countries. Terming it a breakthrough news, Mirza said this is an important step forward for Pakistan on the health, economic and diplomacy fronts.