Pharma companies ready plans for monkeypox medicines

Domestic drug companies are readying plans to manufacture anti-virals and other medicines which may be effective for monkeypox. At present, there is scant data on treatment and companies are awaiting guidelines from international health agencies including the World Health Organisation (WHO) to further their plans. Recently, the WHO declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. Pharma Companies having the capability of manufacturing anti-retrovirals and anti-virals may look at this opportunity, industry experts told. In line with its strategy to ‘repurpose’ drugs, Cipla, which had launched several medicines for Covid including remedesivir, favipiravir and molnupiravir, is studying the options.

“We would be happy to repurpose drugs for monkeypox and would be looking at it. We are speaking to partners...(and) will see what comes out of it,” Umang Vohra, MD and CEO, Cipla, said. Over the last two years of the Coronavirus pandemic, domestic generic companies have either launched individually or entered into partnerships for potential Covid therapies including antivirals. In 2020 the first year of Covid many of them including Cipla, Hetero, Mylan, Dr Reddy’s, Biocon, Jubilant Lifesciences signed licensing agreements with US-based Gilead to launch generic remedesivir in India, while for tocilizumab, MNC firm Roche partnered with Cipla for marketing and distribution. Mumbai-based generic drug manufacturer BDR Pharmaceuticals will start feasibility studies and regulatory pathway after clarity from international agencies.