India's Cipla launching COVID-19 treatment drug Ciplenza in August

India's pharmaceutical company Cipla Friday (July 24) announced it has received regulatory approval from the drug controller general of India (DCGI) for launching Favipiravir in the country to be sold under the brand name Ciplenza for restricted emergency use for the treatment of coronavirus patients.

A medical worker collects a swab sample from a woman at a COVID-19 screening centre in Patna, India's Bihar state, on July 21, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)
A medical worker collects a swab sample from a woman at a COVID-19 screening centre in Patna, India's Bihar state, on July 21, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

"The accelerated approval for manufacturing and marketing of the drug is aimed at meeting the urgent and unmet medical need for COVID-19 treatment options in the country through restricted emergency use," the company in a statement said.

The company said it will commercially launch Ciplenza in the first week of August and each tablet has been priced less than a dollar.

Ciplenza has been jointly developed by Cipla and CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology.

India on Friday reported the number of COVID-19 cases in the country have reached 1,287,945 including 30,601 deaths. Globally India is the third worst-hit country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xinhua