JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - Pharmaceutical firm, PT Indofarma Tbk (IDX: INAF) ready to distribute the anti-coronavirus drug under the brand Desrem Remdesivir, the company announced today. The medicine is produced by Mylan Laboratories Ltd., under the license of Gilead Sciences Inc (NASDAQ: GILD), Foster City and the United States (US).
“The product we are going to distribute in the near future is Desrem Remdesivir Inj 100mg, which has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval in Indonesia and has been approved by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency through the issuance of a Circular Permit Number which was issued on September 30,” said the CEO, Arief Pramuhanto, in a press release, on Monday (10/05).
He said the poison will go on sale in this week and used for inpatients with COVID-19 in moderate-severe conditions. There are around 400,000 vials (small bottles) with prices that are certainly affordable for the public, he adds.
In addition to medicines, said Pramuhanto, Indofarma has also produced medical devices such as 3Play Medical Face Mask (Inamask), Hand Sanitizer (Clind), Rapid Test (Smart Diagnostic COVID-19) to Mobile Diagnostic Real Time PCR, Isolation Transport Products to Virus Transport Media.
Previously, the drug-maker under the state-owned pharmacy holding, PT Biofarma had consolidated itself for the development of the vaccine and drug. Beside Indofarma, the company also manage PT Kimia Farma Tbk (IDX: KAEF) and PT Phapros Tbk (IDX: PEHA).
Kimia Farma is currently able to produce drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, namely Favipiravir which can be used for the virus therapy. Verdi Budidarmo, CEO of Kimia Farma, stated that the company can produce its own type of Favipiravir drug which can be used for the therapy.
This medicine is the first product in Indonesia developed by the manufacturer and has obtained a distribution license number from the authority and will be distributed to all health services in accordance with government regulations. Its subsidiary, Phapros, has also succeeded in producing several drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 including Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin, Favipiravir, Dexamethasone and Methylprednisolone.
Kalbe Adjusted Covifor Price
While, another pharmaceutical company, PT Kalbe Farma Tbk (IDX: KLBF) together with PT Amarox Pharma Global have announced a price adjustment for their Covifor Remdesivir products produced by Hetero Healthcare from Rp3 million (US$202.70) to Rp1.5 million per vial. According to president Director, Vidjongtius, the new price made after a joint discussion between the parties.
“Hetero is aware of the widespread impact of the COVID-19, especially regarding the cost burden for the government and patients, so we providing more support and a special Covifor price for Indonesia,” said Sandeep Sur, Country Manager of Amarox in an official statement.
As is known, the product is a trademark of the generic version of Remdesivir issued by Hetero, which is intended for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 disease who have been confirmed in the laboratory, especially adolescents (aged 12 years and over with a minimum body weight of 40 kg) who hospitalized.
US$1: Rp14,800
Written by Editorial Staff, Email: theinsiderstories@gmail.com
