India's supply of antiviral drug remdesivir and generic equivalents is stabilising after shortages of the vital COVID-19 medicine at hospitals, according to a top executive at one of the country's big drugmakers, Cipla Ltd.

Remdesivir, made by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences Inc, has been in high demand globally, and a handful of companies including Cipla are authorised to make and sell generic versions in 127 developing nations.

Cipla's launch of remdesivir in late June, along with subsequent launches by others, has helped ease supply bottlenecks in India, Cipla's Global Chief Financial Officer, Kedar Upadhye, told Reuters.

"Of late, some of the complaints for supplies, and the number of panicky calls that I used to get, have come down dramatically," Upadhye said. "Looks like things have settled."

COVID-19 cases in India, the world's third-worst hit country, have surged in the past month, with new infections topping 50,000 daily.

Yet while hospitals previously reported they were struggling to get their hands on the drug, leading to black market sales, Mr Upadhye said the indications from his supply chain were that pressure had eased.

That suggested severe cases had not surged as much as the overall numbers, he said.

Government data at the end of July showed about 0.3% of the country's active coronavirus patients were on ventilators, while 1.6% on intensive care unit support and 2.3% on oxygen support.

Severe cases likely amounted to under 3% of all infections, said Giridhara Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India.

India, one of the world's biggest producer of generic drugs, recommends remdesivir for moderate to severe COVID-19. Doctors also use other drugs, including favirpiravir, another antiviral approved for the disease.

Cipla, which is also free to export the drug, supplies it in South Africa and plans to expand access to "several sub-Saharan African countries", it has said.

India had previously blocked exports of another drug, hydroxychloroquine, used by some doctors in treating the disease. The ban has since been lifted.

Cipla declined to comment on the number of vials of remdesivir it had shipped so far, but said it had started making the drug at a plant in Goa in western India to ramp up production.

India's supply of antiviral drug remdesivir and generic equivalents is stabilising after shortages of the vital COVID-19 medicine at hospitals, according to a top executive at one of the country's big drugmakers, Cipla Ltd.

India's supply of antiviral drug remdesivir and generic equivalents is stabilising after shortages of the vital COVID-19 medicine at hospitals, according to a top executive at one of the country's big drugmakers, Cipla Ltd. Remdesivir, made by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences Inc, has been in high demand globally, and a handful of companies including Cipla are authorised to make and sell generic versions in 127 developing nations. Cipla's launch of remdesivir in late June, along with subsequent launches by others, has helped ease supply bottlenecks in India, Cipla's Global Chief Financial Officer, Kedar Upadhye, told Reuters. "Of late, some of the complaints for supplies, and the number of panicky calls that I used to get, have come down dramatically," Upadhye said. "Looks like things have settled." COVID-19 cases in India, the world's third-worst hit country, have surged in the past month, with new infections topping 50,000 daily. Yet while hospitals previously reported they were struggling to get their hands on the drug, leading to black market sales, Mr Upadhye said the indications from his supply chain were that pressure had eased. That suggested severe cases had not surged as much as the overall numbers, he said. Government data at the end of July showed about 0.3% of the country's active coronavirus patients were on ventilators, while 1.6% on intensive care unit support and 2.3% on oxygen support. Severe cases likely amounted to under 3% of all infections, said Giridhara Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India. India, one of the world's biggest producer of generic drugs, recommends remdesivir for moderate to severe COVID-19. Doctors also use other drugs, including favirpiravir, another antiviral approved for the disease. Cipla, which is also free to export the drug, supplies it in South Africa and plans to expand access to "several sub-Saharan African countries", it has said. India had previously blocked exports of another drug, hydroxychloroquine, used by some doctors in treating the disease. The ban has since been lifted. Cipla declined to comment on the number of vials of remdesivir it had shipped so far, but said it had started making the drug at a plant in Goa in western India to ramp up production.

India's shortage of Remdesivir is easing, says producer Cipla 

Cipla Ltd, India&#39;s fourth-largest drugmaker by sales, reported a 20 per cent rise in quarterly profit, beating analysts&#39; estimates, as higher sales in Europe and South Africa offset weakness in its key domestic market.

Revenue from South Africa, Cipla&#39;s third largest market, rose 21 per cent to 4.88 billion rupees ($76.03 million) compared with last year while Europe revenues climbed 33 per cent to 1.58 billion rupees.

India revenues fell 13 per cent to 12.71 billion rupees, impacted by a nationwide tax reform. Cipla&#39;s Chief Executive Umang Vohra said on Friday the company is working on building its India business through new drugs for diabetes and chronic diseases.

It&#39;s also working on improving its presence in North America, a market where copycat drugmakers&#39; growth has been hit due to pressure on drug prices. Cipla&#39;s North America sales fell 2 per cent in the quarter, but Vohra said the company was &quot;on target to ramp-up our launch trajectory in the US&quot;

First-quarter net profit rose to 4.08 billion rupees from 3.39 billion a year earlier, the company said.

Analysts were on average expecting a profit of 3 billion rupees in the first quarter, Thomson Reuters data showed.

Cipla&#39;s shares were down 2.4 per cent after the results as of 0850 GMT in a broader Indian market that was 1.3 per cent lower.

First-quarter net profit rose to 4.08 billion rupees from 3.39 billion a year earlier

Cipla Ltd, India's fourth-largest drugmaker by sales, reported a 20 per cent rise in quarterly profit, beating analysts' estimates, as higher sales in Europe and South Africa offset weakness in its key domestic market. Revenue from South Africa, Cipla's third largest market, rose 21 per cent to 4.88 billion rupees ($76.03 million) compared with last year while Europe revenues climbed 33 per cent to 1.58 billion rupees. India revenues fell 13 per cent to 12.71 billion rupees, impacted by a nationwide tax reform. Cipla's Chief Executive Umang Vohra said on Friday the company is working on building its India business through new drugs for diabetes and chronic diseases. It's also working on improving its presence in North America, a market where copycat drugmakers' growth has been hit due to pressure on drug prices. Cipla's North America sales fell 2 per cent in the quarter, but Vohra said the company was "on target to ramp-up our launch trajectory in the US" First-quarter net profit rose to 4.08 billion rupees from 3.39 billion a year earlier, the company said. Analysts were on average expecting a profit of 3 billion rupees in the first quarter, Thomson Reuters data showed. Cipla's shares were down 2.4 per cent after the results as of 0850 GMT in a broader Indian market that was 1.3 per cent lower.

Cipla June-quarter profit rises 20 percent, beats estimates

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India's shortage of Remdesivir is easing, says producer Cipla

Cipla June-quarter profit rises 20 percent, beats estimates