Part 2.
The post comes as a part of the series on the growing requirements of HCQ world wide. Global clinical trials are on for this very age old drug to collect additional and supporting evidence for treatment for COVID -19 virus.

Simultaneously , there is a dire need to ramp up production of the drug . There is a serious shortage of the API of the HCQ as per available information from experts.

India accounts for over 50 percent of the world’s supply of HCQ. India exported nearly approximately 23 million tablets were exported to the U.S., Europe, and Brazil, among other regions in the lockdown period.

The raw material was procured on an emergency basis from China for making the same. But China on the other is now facing shortages of raw materials for HCQ production , with a hopeful recovery in June 2020. Both China and India are faced with an rising overload of orders with 90 percent from overseas, scheduled for July 2020.

Considering this situation, this gives the Indian pharma an immense opportunity to explore viable and concrete possibilities of companies which can set up API plants for speedy HCQ production.

Along with HCQ , there a lot many areas of drugs where the requirements of API are tremendous . COVID-19 has caused an increase in demand for APIs and drugs; those used as antimalarials are seeing the highest demand, followed by bronchodilators, antibiotics, and antivirals.Sedatives, painkillers, anesthetics, and muscle relaxants required for the care of patients on ventilators are some the therapies witnessing huge shortages.

Indian pharma with the help of the government support has been able to speed up production of critical APIs and intermediates. Though India has removed some of its restrictions on exports of generic drugs (fixed-dose combinations), there is still a restriction by the Indian government on export of the drugs’ API and raw materials.