Inside Remdesivir puzzle: 6 producers, little supply!
Demand fell to almost nil by January after the first wave of the pandemic in the country. Since there was no demand, most manufacturers stopped giving fresh orders for manufacturing
PB Jayakumar | May 3, 2021 | Updated 19:22 IST
Demand for Remdesivir fell to almost nil by January after the first wave of the pandemic in the country
Reduction in production due to less demand after the first wave of coronavirus and lack of vigil on the part of the Government to ensure stockpiling led to current Remdesivir crisis, say sources.
Gilead Life Sciences, the innovator of the re-purposed drug, had licensed six manufacturers in India to produce the drug. Most of them were dependent on contract manufacturers and their subsidiaries to make the product. Demand fell to almost nil by January after the first wave of the pandemic in the country. Since there was no demand, most manufacturers stopped giving fresh orders for manufacturing. Neither the manufacturers nor the policy makers anticipated a second wave and failed to stockpile the life saving drug, sources said.