The Drugs Controller General of India has granted license to Tagoor Laboratories Pvt Ltd to manufacture and market Favipiravir Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) for treatment of COVID-19, the company said.

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Tagoor Labs' manufacturing facility located in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district has successfully completed Favipiravir development and is planning to enhance its production capabilities. The DCGI earlier approved the use of Favipiravir, an antiviral drug developed in Japan and used for treatment of influenza, for mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 in India. Favipiravir is a broad spectrum antiviral agent and selectively inhibits RNA polymerase of the influenza virus and prevents viral replication.

"Tagoor Labs is capable of producing the drug without having to depend on any imports, as all the complex intermediates are developed in-house. Company (is) aiming to manufacture Favipiravir in quantities sufficient to meet the growing domestic demand, which arose due to the pandemic," said Dr P. Kasi Viswanadha Raju, Managing Director, Tagoor Labs. Additionally, Tagoor Labs also manufactures and supplies Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate, also used to treat COVID-19 symptoms. Its manufacturing facility, approved by the WHO GMP, clocked annual turnover of Rs 270 crore in 2019-2020, and is expected to make a revenue of Rs 450 crore in 2020-2021. It has its R&D facility in Jeedimetla Industrial Area, Hyderabad. According to Tagoor Labs' Business Head Dr Mohanbabu Maradolla, they are in talks with the top buyers in the domestic market and also making collaborations with various partners in Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Russia to supply the Favipiravir API.