Gilead to supply 1 mn Amphotericin doses as black fungus cases surge

As black fungus cases surge across states, US-based Gilead Sciences is working to expedite the process to supply Amphotericin-B injections that are being used as a treatment.

After PM Modi ordered the procuring of Amphotericin-B injections to treat black fungus cases from anywhere where the anti-fungal drug is available, US-based Gilead Sciences has come onboard.

More than 1,21,000 vials have so far reached India while another 85,000 vials are on way. Gilead will supply 1 million doses of Amphotericin-B to India.

News agency ANI has quoted government sources as saying the Centre is working to increase availability of Liposomal Amphotericin-B injections. To augment production, Government of India has given licenses to five more companies to make the drug.

After PM Modi’s instructions, Indian missions across the world have been involved in securing supplies of the Amphotericin-B drug. Gilead Sciences is now working on expediting the supply of the medicine to India through Mylan.

The company is also withdrawing the stocks available in other countries to supply to India.

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers DV Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday said an additional 29,250 vials of Amphotericin-B drug, which is vital to cure black fungus infection, has been allocated to all the states and union territories.

In a series of tweets, the minister gave a description of the supply of Amphotericin-B.

“Additional 29,250 vials of #Amphotericin- B drug, used in treatment of #Mucormycosis, have been allocated to all the States/UTs today. The allocation has been made based on the number of patients under treatment which is 11,717 across the country,” Gowda tweeted.

Earlier, 19,420 vials of Amphotericin- B were allocated on May 24 and 23,680 vials of the drug were supplied across the country on May 21. India Today