Mylan’s Imported Material for Coronavirus Drugs Remdesivir & Favipiravir Stuck at Mumbai Air Cargo Complex

Pharmaceutical major Mylan’s import of raw material for manufacturing drugs meant to treat novel coronavirus — Remdesivir and Favipiravir — have been stuck at the Mumbai airport for the past few days, sources said.

Several studies have shown that Remdesivir and Favipiravir can help in the treatment of coronavirus. Experts say that Favipiravir is used to treat patients in early stages of the disease whereas Remdesivir is used on patients with moderate or moderately severe symptoms.

The global pharma major’s raw material for the drugs have been imported from China, from where most of the inputs for India’s pharma sector come, and are now lying at the Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai.

Stricter scrutiny of Chinese imports at Indian ports and airports amid the border tensions with China has been a major issue faced by several import-dependent industries, including pharmaceuticals.

The Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) has written to the Centre to seek urgent customs clearance for imported goods as they include critical key starting material (KSM), intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API).