Hyderabad firm delivers anti-swine flu drug

Hyderabad-based Hetero Drugs, the licensee for the supply of anti-swine flu Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), today delivered 90 lakh capsules of the drug, following an order from the Union government.

The order, finalised urgently yesterday, was for the supply of one crore capsules, Hetero Drugs Director M Srinivasa Reddy told PTI here.

The remaining 10 lakh capsules will be delivered by Monday, he said.

The company keeps an inventory of two crore capsules -- one crore in ready packs and another crore in the form of raw material, Reddy said.

Hetero Drugs will also supply four lakh bottles of Oseltamivir for paediatric use by the end of the month, he said.

The company can manufacture 10 crore capsules a month but can produce 10 crore more per month at its new plant in Visakhapatnam, he added.

Hetero Drugs has the licence from Swiss company Roche to manufacture and supply Oseltamivir in India and many other developing countries.