MSN Laboratories to launch favipiravir at Rs 33

MSN Laboratories plans to launch generic favipiravir under the brand name of Favilow. Each tablet will cost Rs 33. The medicine will be available across the country for the treatment of COVID-19.

Favilow will be available in the strength of 200 mg tablets and would require patients to consume a total of 34 tablets to complete treatment. The medicine will be available at all medical and hospital pharmacies but will be dispensed after examining prescriptions issued by qualified healthcare practitioners.

As told to Express Pharma reporter, Usha Sharma, the company will be launching the drug on August 15 which will be manufactured from its formulation I facility located in Bollaram, Hyderabad.

Bharat Reddy, Executive Director, MSN Laboratories said, “We have capabilities as well as capacities to develop the active pharmaceutical ingredient (APIs) as well as the finished formulation of Favilow. Our manufacturing site in Bollaram has the capacity to produce one billion tablets per annum. However, the production needs to be scaled up to meet the rising demand, we have another facility in Kothur, on the Bangalore-Hyderabad highway, which can be used for fulfilling the requirements.”

Reddy added, “At present, the market has other brands of favipiravir, but the price of those brands is higher than ours. We have conceptualised the brand name, Favilow, considering two factors, one is that it helps in bringing down the virus from the human body and secondly, it is the lowest in its price range.”

The company has already launched anti-viral medication, Oseltamivir 75 mg capsules, under the brand name OSELOW for the treatment of COVID-19. It is also planning to launch Favilow 400 mg.