Cabinet fixes Remdesivir’s price at Rs10,873/100mg vial

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan after approving Gilead Sciences Inc’s antiviral drug ‘Remdesivir’ for emergency use in treating Covid-19 patients also on Tuesday fixed the maximum retail price (MRP) of the vaccine vial at Rs10,873 and also waived off all duties and taxes on this drug.

Remdesivir is the first drug shown to be effective against the novel coronavirus in human trials. South Korea, Japan, India, the United States and Singapore having already approved it for emergency use and on Thursday Israel also formally approvedit for use in treating COVID-19 infection.

The Pakistani Federal Cabinet that met here with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair on Tuesday approved maximum retail price for remdesivir 100mg injection. Searle Company Limited, Karachi has last month finalized a deal to import Remdesivir from Bangladesh by partnering with Beximco Pharmaceuticals of Bangladesh to provide Remdesivir at an affordable price, helping healthcare providers in Pakistan to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Being the prerequisite for registration, not after the approval/notification of MRP by federal government, the registration letters will be issues to applicant companies. After this regulatory approval, the company will import the vaccine from Bangladeshi company and then distribute it in Pakistan.