Natco to release 1 mn Natflu doses by Oct end

Hyderabad-based drug maker Natco Pharma Limited will be releasing into the market over 1 million doses (10 million tablets) of Natflu, its medicine for treatment of swine flu, by the end of next month.

With H1N1 virus spreading in the country, "we will be required to supply at least 1 million doses of Natflu by the end of October," Natco director and chief financial officer, P Bhaskara Narayana, said adding that the cost of each dose was pegged at Rs 480.

Natco has so far released into the market 125,000 doses of Natflu, which are currently available in 33 medical shops, including 25 MedPlus shops, in Hyderabad. “The drug will be now made available throughout the city within a week and in 500-600 medical shops across the country by October 15,” Narayana told mediapersons.

He said Natco would also be launching paediatric doses (in syrup form) of Natflu in 45 days. At present, the company is supplying only 75 mg Natflu tablets, which is basically an adult dosage.

Narayana explained that the price of a Natflu tablet was about Rs 3 higher than that of the competitor's drug because of improved package in an air-tight container. The company's package would enhance the shelf life of the drug by one year.

Natco, however, is supplying Natflu to the government at Rs 275 a dose. Narayana said this was possible as the supplies meant for government does not include taxes and distributor’s margin.

Natflu is being produced at the company's US Food and Drug Administration approved facility near here. “It has adequate capacity and we can meet whatever is the demand for the drug,” Narayana said. Natco has tied up with an overseas company and also a domestic outfit for supply of raw material.

Natco’s scrip on the Bombay Stock Exchange closed at Rs 139.25 on Tuesday, up 10.82 per cent over the previous trading day’s close of Rs 125.65.