BANGKOK – The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) has ensured the current inventory of medications for COVID-19 treatment is sufficient, even for a possible second outbreak, while GPO researchers are now developing methods to manufacture Favipiravir domestically.
The GPO’s Research and Development Institute Director Nuntakan Suwanpidokkul said there are 7 types of medication being used to treat COVID-19 patients in Thailand, with 5 of which, including HIV drugs and antibiotics, can be produced by the GPO.
The GPO has sourced Hydroxychloroquine, a drug conventionally used to prevent malaria, from a domestic manufacturer, and has ordered 303,860 tablets of Favipiravir, an antiviral drug used to treat influenza, from Japan and China.
The GPO previously imported 187,000 Favipiravir tablets, which has been distributed to hospitals. There are now 87,000 Favipiravir tablets available in the reserve inventory.
GPO researchers are now developing methods to produce 200 milligram Favipiravir tablets domestically. Laboratory research is in progress to find a suitable formulation, which will be used for production by early next year. The newly produced drug will then be evaluated for efficacy, solubility, stability, bioavailability and bioequivalence.
Mass production of the GPO’s Favipiravir is expected to begin in early 2022, following a clinical trial with volunteers and drug registration in late 2021. The organization is also working with the National Science and Technology Development Agency to develop synthesis methods for Favipiravir ingredients.
The GPO research and development head said the current inventory of some 400,000 Favipiravir tablets is enough to treat patients in case of a second outbreak, on an average estimation that each patient takes 70 tablets throughout the course of their treatment.(NNT)
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