India to have coronavirus medicine in 6 to 10 weeks?
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, has spread almost everywhere now. Not too long after the virus was first discovered at the end of December, labs turned their sights toward treatment.Currently, however, there is no cure for this coronavirus, and treatments are based on the kind of care given for influenza (seasonal flu). However, now it looks like India might have coronavirus medicine in the next six to ten weeks. Pharmaceutical company Cipla and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CISR)- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) have joined hands to develop a drug that can fight viral diseases including coronavirus. IICT has taken up the task to develop active pharma ingredients (APIs) for the drug. When they are developed, it would be handed-over to Cipla, who would then manufacture the drugs.
Speaking to media persons, IICT director S Chandrasekhar and principal scientist Prathama S Manikar said that Cipla chairman has requested them to manufacture 3 compounds — Favipiravir, Remiesivir and Bolaxivir. Cipla would look after trials, approvals, and mass production of the drugs.
Chandrasekhar said, “Clinical trials have been done on Favipiravir and Remiesivir. It would around 6-10 weeks to make them, but we will start making Bolaxavir now.”Scientists have been able to narrow down the required compounds via artificial intelligence, deep data mining and computational and mathematical models. “We will make 100 gm of the compounds and test them on animals before approaching the regulatory authority for manufacturing the drug,” he added. Earlier, Cipla and IICT had made joined hands to make drugs for AIDS, cancer, etc.
