DRAP allows chloroquine ingredient manufacturing

Islamabad : The Central Licensing Board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has approved local manufacturing of Chloroquine phosphate active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)—a drug used in management of SARS-CoV 2 infected patients. Chloroquine API can now be indigenously manufactured to meet the requirements of pharmaceutical companies who prepare Chloroquine phosphate tablets, injections and syrups.

A DRAP spokesperson said, backto b-ack expert committee meetings are being convened to evaluate the applications of various items including those of drug manufacturing, mechanical ventilators, convalescent plasma, and hand sanitizers. He added that the Clinical Study Committee of DRAP has allowed clinical trials for convalescent plasma for the purpose of passive immunization in current COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. The application was filed by Dr. Tahir Shamsi, Principle Investigator, Professor and Chairman of the National Institute of Blood Disease and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Karachi.

In this study, convalescent plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients would be injected to moderate and severe COVID-19 patients for the purpose of passive immunity for treatment, and to prevent these patients from going on to ventilators. The CSC has also approved clinical trial/test of basic ventilators, indigenously developed by the Pakistan Engineering Council.