Zydus pegs price of COVID-19 drug Virafin at Rs 11,995, says it can cut oxygen dependency in patients

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After receiving emergency use approval for the use of 'Virafin' in treating moderate COVID-19 cases, Zydus Cadila has pegged the price of the drug at Rs 11,995 per dose and has started dispatches, CNBC TV-18 reported citing Cogencis as the source.

Virafin is a single-dose therapy for COVID patients that received emergency use approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI),  the country's apex medicine regulator approval, on April 23. Zydus claims that the drug can cut oxygen support needed by COVID patients, the report added.

Virafin, technically referred to as Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b, showed clinical and virological improvement in moderate COVID-19 cases, the company said, as per the CNBC-TV18 report.

"The fact that we are able to offer a therapy which significantly reduces the viral load when given early on can help in better disease management. It comes at a much-needed time for patients and we will continue to provide them access to critical therapies in this battle against COVID-19," Dr Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Cadila Healthcare Limited had earlier said in a statement, the report added.

Zydus has claimed that "91.15 percent of patients treated with PegIFN were RT-PCR negative by day 7", the report added.

With an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, several states are struggling with oxygen shortages. The Health Ministry on May 11 reported more than 3 lakh new infections in the last 24 hours.

Several states across the country have flagged oxygen shortages. The reduction in usage of supplemental oxygen, as claimed by Zydus, could come as a relief to states that are struggling in the COVID-19 fight due to the stressed supply of medical oxygen.