BCYSA NEWS: Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd. of Bangladesh became first one to produce 'Remdesivir' an anti-viral drug being used to treat severe covid-19 patients apart from it’s inventor 'Gilead Sciences Inc'.

Remdesivir was originally developed to treat 'hepatitis C' and was then tested against Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease, but was ineffective for all of these viral infections. Now recent studies found that it is effective for severe Covid-19 patients for its anti-viral action. Remdesivir is a direct-acting antiviral medicine that inhibits viral RNA synthesis and many lives have been saved by injecting this drug. And patient needs six dosage of it.

Beximco named the drug as 'Bemsivir' and offered to sell it on USD 71 per vial which is around 6000BDT. So, now the world can get it in a cheap price of per vial USD 71 (without  tax) where whole course is USD426 per patient. On state run Bangladeshi hospitals they vowed to supply free of cost. From 'Gilead' it may cost more than USD 4000 in USA.

So, developing and underdeveloped nation will get a lot of help. Furthermore 7 companies will produce Remdesivir in Bangladesh including SK-f, Square Pharmaceuticals and Beacon Pharmaceutical. India and Pakistan also discussed about producing this drug.

South Asian countries are seeing surge of cases now and hopefully this drug will lower mortality rate in these countries. Bangladesh will do it’s best to serve the world with cheaper drugs and save lives. 

Source-bdnews24

AUTHOR

Md UN Nazmus Sakib Khan, Tianjin University.
Publicity and publication secretary, BCYSA    

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