Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Trade and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood has informed that Pakistan’s exports of antiviral drug Remdesivir alongside COVID-19 related products have witnessed an increase and are reaching new markets.

“As per our policy of diversification of export products, we recently allowed the export of Remdesivir and I am happy to note that exports of COVID-19 related products, including Remdesivir, have surged in the past month,” stated Dawood.

“Pakistani health care products have reached to over 14 countries, creating new markets and enhancing the image of brand Pakistan,” he added.

Back in May, Pakistani pharmaceutical company Ferozsons Laboratories reached an agreement with Gilead Science Inc for the manufacture and sale of Remdesivir in the country.

Gilead has signed nonexclusive voluntary license agreements with five South Asian manufacturers - Hetero, Jubilant Lifesciences, Cipla, Mylan, and BFBL - to manufacture Remdesivir for distribution in 127 countries.

Under the licensing agreements, the companies have a right to receive a technology transfer of the Gilead manufacturing process for Remdesivir to enable them to scale up production more quickly, the company informed.

It may be mentioned here that Remdesivir has been granted emergency use authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and authorities in Japan to treat hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 disease.