Cadila Health's Zydus Cadila on Thursday launched the cheapest generic version of Gilead Sciences� antiviral drug in India, to treat COVID-19. Called as Remdesivir, the drug has been launched under the brand name Remdac, which will be used to treat patients suffering from severe symptoms of COVID-19. Remdesivir has been launched following reports of shortages at drugs at various hospitals.

According to the details, Remdac (Remdesivir) has been priced at Rs 2,800 by Zydus, which sums it up to ($37.44) per 100mg vial. Remdac is the most economical Remdesivir brand in India, Zydus Cadila said in a regulatory filing.

It will be sold under the brand name Remdac to government and private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients, the company said in a regulatory filing.



�Remdac is the most affordable drug as we would like to enable patients to have access to this critical drug in the treatment of COVID-19,� Cadila Healthcare Managing Director Dr Sharvil Patel said.

Through the course of this pandemic, the company�s efforts have been focused on supporting people in this healthcare crisis, whether it is through developing vaccines, ramping up production and distribution of critical drugs and therapies, making diagnostic tests available, or exploring new treatment options, Patel added.

In June this year, Zydus had entered into a non-exclusive agreement with Gilead Sciences Inc to manufacture and sell Remdesivir, the investigational drug, which has been issued an emergency use authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to treat patients suffering from severe symptoms of COVID-19.

The active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for the drug has been developed and manufactured at the group's API manufacturing facilities in Gujarat.

Zydus Cadila's vaccine candidate ZyCov-D is now in phase II of the clinical trials.

Shares of Cadila Healthcare, the listed entity of the group, were trading at Rs 387 apiece on BSE, 0.44 per cent higher against their previous close.