Virus drug to sell at Sh6,000

Cipla, a global pharmaceutical firm with a footprint in Kenya, is expected to roll out Remdesivir, one of the drugs registered as a remedy for Covid-19.

The drug will be shipped into the Kenyan market following a deal between Gilead Sciences Inc, who developed it, and nine other pharmaceutical firms, Cipla being one of them.

The deal will see the drug introduced in 127 countries globally, Kenya included.

The deal follows an authorisation of emergency use of Remdesivir by the US Food and Drug Authority (FDA) as a remedy for severe and moderate cases of Covid-19.

Cipla Ltd Kenya, in a statement, indicated that authorisation has already been filed to Kenya’s regulator, Pharmacy and Poisons Board, on July 17. “We filed on Friday and expect an answer within 14 days. We hope to have stock in bond (held at Imperial but not released for sale) by the end of July,” reads the statement.

Once authorised, the drug will sell at Sh6,000, which is about $55. The pharmacy says this is the price the drug is sold at in South Africa.

“Our exit price is the same as South Africa at $55 per vial to both public and private. Private will put a mark-up on the product, so this will not be price to patient,” the statement added.

Commercial Head of Cipla in Sub-Saharan Africa Martin Sweeney said the pricing is to ensure everyone in need has access to the lifesaving medication.

Helped save lives

“In much the same way as Cipla pioneered affordable medication during the height of the HIV crisis about two decades ago and helped to save the lives of millions of people, we are committed to help find a solution in the fight against this unprecedented global pandemic,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney said the production of the drug had already started in preparation for the authorisation by PPB.

Remdesivir was first developed during the Ebola outbreak, also a viral disease, but did not get approved.

Its promise of efficacy against viral infections was, however, resuscitated during the Covid-19 pandemic and according to the National Institutes of Health, the drug has shown to improve conditions of hospitalised patients for those who are on oxygen.

The treatment is not recommended for those on mechanical ventilation.

The drug is administered intravenously for five days at 200mg (two vials) on the first day and later 100mg on the subsequent four days. “It is a five-day course, which can be prolonged to 10 days, depending on the condition of the patient. Clinicians will decide, based upon the body of evidence available, how and when remdesivir will be used appropriately,” explains Cipla in the statement.