Daily Times

KARACHI: Remington Pharmaceuticals, the only WHO Prequalified Pharmaceutical Company in Pakistan, has been granted licenses from the Medicines Patent Pool for the development, manufacturing and supply of generic versions of two novel oral antiviral medicines for COVID-19 in Pakistan and export to over 100 countries globally.

Hence, the company will be able to develop, manufacture, and supply generic versions of the world’s first two oral treatments for COVID-19 making it the first and only Pakistani company to receive the prestigious global authorization, said a release here on Friday.

Under the said license from MPP, Remington Pharma will be manufacturing generic versions of the molnupiravir 200mg Capsules (RLD: Lagevrio, Merck & Co.) to 105 countries and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (RLD: PAXLOVID™, Pfizer) with the approval and authorization from MPP to supply in Pakistan and export to 95 countries.

Chairman of the company, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khokhar on this occasion said, “ Remington Pharmaceuticals has been at the forefront of supplying quality-assured, cost-effective medicines in Pakistan and to other low- and middle-income countries for over 40 years.”                                               

Now, he said, this is a step towards making our efforts truly global. After recently becoming the first nationally-owned pharmaceutical company to attain the World Health Organization (WHO) Pre qualification (Geneva HQ), this was another moment of pride for us that Remington Pharmaceuticals had become the only pharmaceutical company from Pakistan to receive these global supply licenses by standing in a race where majority of the other licensees are from India.

With the presence of the licensed generic product at affordable prices, we as a country should take this as an opportunity to move towards promoting research in the country.                                      That  would surely bring Pakistan on the map of global drug development research.

Remington Pharma has already obtained the formulation of Transfer of Technology, from the originators, for the development and manufacturing generic versions of the revolutionary treatments against COVID-19. Its regional teams had already started booking the orders for commercial supplies from across the globe and have already signed supply agreements with the leading partners. However, Remington considers it our foremost duty to make this treatment available to the people of Pakistan on a priority basis, Dr. Qadeer said.