Generic drugs | Remdesivir | CDCSO | DCGI | Medical masks | Cipremi | Covifor | Cipla | Hetero | Fabiflu | Glenmark

Medical Masks are Everlasting

Historians  believe that during the plague attack in Europe, Doctors started to wear masks that were made of leathers to prevent from bad air. These were preserved at Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin. Later on, microbiologists who were working on bacteria started to wear face masks in order to prevent microbes and dust particles.

It was in the year 1910, pneumonic plague strikes in Manchuria (a place in china), medical professionals adopted to wear face masks to prevent from this airborne disease. Later on, normal people and medical professionals adapted to wear face masks in order to prevent infection.

Types of masks and respirators

	Face mask ( Cloth or paper masks)	Surgical mask	N95 respirator	Surgical  N95 respirator
Purpose	Prevents  large particles expelled by the wearer from reaching the environment.	To be used as a physical barrier to protect from large droplets of blood or body fluids.	Reduces exposure to very small airborne particles or contaminants. May not protect against sprays and direct liquid splashes.	To be used as physical barriers from large droplets of blood or body fluids as well as small particles.
Filtration efficiency	Not applicable	Bacterial filtration efficiency above 95%	Minimum 95% against  particulate aerosols.	Minimum  95% against  particulate aerosols.
Fluid resistance	Absent	Yes	Not applicable	Yes

Generic version of Remdesivir

What are Generic Drugs?

Generic drugs are a type of medications that are copies of branded drugs which have the same dose, route of administration, quality, and performance.

Cipla and Hetero from India got approval to manufacture the generic version of Remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19. Central Drug Control Standard Organisation (CDCSO) office of DCGI had granted permission to market Gilead science anti-viral drug Remdesivir in India for "restricted emergency use" on hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Cipla launches generic version Remdesivir under the brand name ‘Cipremi’. The generic version will be available under the brand name ‘Covifor’(Hetero).  This ‘Covifor’ will be manufactured at hetero in Hyderabad.

Covifor (Remdesivir) will be available in 100mg vial (injectable) that will be administered intravenously under the supervision of healthcare practitioners. This drug will be available for use in hospitals. The supply will begin in a week. The price of the drug ranges between Rs.5000-6000 per 100mg vial. Cipla has not yet disclosed the pricing.

Based on a preliminary study conducted by Cipla,  results from ACTT-1(Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment  Trial) which had randomized clinical trials conducted with Remdesivir in 1063 patients, most of them were on oxygen support across U.S, Europe, and Asia. The mortality rate in the study was found to be 7.1% among given Remdesivir and 11.9% given through placebo.

Other pharma companies such as Zydus Cadila, Mylan, DRL and BDR pharma have submitted an application to DCGI to manufacture and market Remdesivir in India.

Many of us may be aware that Glenamark pharmaceuticals launched antiviral drug Favipiravir, under the brand name ‘FabiFlu’. This drug could be used for treating mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. This drug is available as a 200 mg tablet at a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 3,500 for a strip of 34 tablets. Each tablet costs Rs.103 and added that it is the first oral medication that is been approved in India for the treatment of COVID-19.