Lekha G
The Delhi High Court inquired the Centre whether antibody cocktail of drug major Roche would reduce the demand for Covid-19 drug Tocilizumab, due to shortage in supply.
The question was posed to the Government by Justice Prathiba M Singh after Roche India informed the Court that they cannot guarantee to meet the market demand of the medicine even though patients were willing to pay for it.
Roche further stated that the antibody cocktail of Casirivimab and Imdevimab medicines “May be a better treatment for Covid-19 patients” as a reason for not being able to supply Tocilizumab.
The Court further noted that Roche in spite of receiving specific directions, had not filed the global manufacturing figures of the drug.
Due to lack of assurance from Roche regarding the supply of Tocilizumab, the Court asked the Centre on how it intended to obtain the medicine through the drug major or its global manufacturers, FHoffman-La Roche Ltd in Switzerland and Chugai Seiyaku Kabushiki Kaisha in Japan.
The Court further asked the Government regarding results for the phase 3 trials of Tocilizumab which were approved in favour of two Indian Companies namely Hetero Biopharma Ltd and JSS Medical Research India Pvt. Ltd and the necessary guidelines applicable to them.
The Court directed the Centre to file an affidavit answering the queries within two days before the next date of hearing on May 27.
The Centre’s standing Counsel Anurag Ahluwalia informed the Court that Centre was following up with Roche India through various channels and is coordinating with them to increase the quantity of imports to India.
The Court had heard the plea on behalf of two Covid-19 patients who were unable to procure the medicine Tocilizumab from anywhere, as prescribed by doctors.