NEW DELHI: While Covid-19 spreading and Indian experts saying they will take at least 1.5 years to develop a vaccine, the government has asked major pharma companies to manufacture HIV combination drugs Lopinavir and Ritonavir to prepare their production and keep stock ready for emergency use.
A committee of experts constituted by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) asked companies such as Cipla, Mylan, Aurobindo and Hetero, among others, to evaluate supply chain and keep enough stock ready for India, held in a meeting with manufacturers.
Lopinavir and Ritonavir are antiretrovirals (ARVs) that block the ability of HIV to bind with healthy cells and reproduce, and are often used in combination to treat HIV.
