Hetero’s generic version of COVID-19 oral drug ‘Nirmacom’ gets WHO prequalification

Hetero’s ‘Nirmacom’ is a generic version of Pfizer’s COVID-19 oral antiviral drug ‘PAXLOVID’. According to the WHO, it is the best therapeutic choice for high-risk patients to date.

Nirmatrelvir and ritonavir were strongly recommended by the WHO for mild and moderate COVID-19 patients. (Representative Image)

By India Today Web Desk: India’s leading pharmaceutical company Hetero, said that it has received the World Health Organisation Prequalification of Medicines Program (WHO PQ) approval for its generic version of COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate nirmatrelvir.

This is the first prequalification for a generic version of Pfizer’s COVID-19 oral antiviral drug ‘PAXLOVID’, which the WHO called, the best therapeutic choice for high-risk patients to date, reported news agency PTI.

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Nirmatrelvir and ritonavir were strongly recommended by the WHO for mild and moderate COVID-19 patients at the highest risk of hospital admission.

“WHO Prequalification for Nirmacom is a significant milestone in the fight against COVID-19 as it allows us to expand access to this important innovative antiretroviral drug to people in need. We are committed to making Nirmacom available faster at affordable prices across 95 LMICs, including India,” said Dr Vamsi Krishna Bandi, Managing Director, Hetero Group of Companies.

“Hetero entered into a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) for manufacturing and sale of a generic version of Pfizer’s COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate nirmatrelvir, which is co-packaged with ritonavir (nirmatrelvir; ritonavir), in LMICs,” Dr Vamsi further said.

(With input from PTI)

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