Sun Pharma commits Rs 25 cr worth of drugs, sanitisers to fight COVID-19

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries will donate Rs 25 crore worth ofHydroxychloroquine (HCQS), Azithromycin, other related drugs and hand sanitisersto support India's fight against COVID-19, according to a company statement.

The national task force for COVID-19 has recommended the prophylactic use of HCQS for high risk population.

HCQS is being studied by the World Health Organization (WHO) for use in conjunction with Azithromycin to treat COVID-19, it added.

"The company is committed to working closely with the governments and relevant stakeholders to ensure that there is uninterrupted supply of medicines," Sun Pharma said in a statement.

The company is constituting a task force to handle the distribution of these products in India, it added.

Commending the efforts of the entire medical and support fraternity in fighting COVID-19, Sun Pharma said," To help these front-line warriors, the company has repurposed its liquid manufacturing facility in India to produce high-quality hand sanitisers".

These will be made available to healthcare professionals serving their communities and the nation, it added.

In a related development, the company's arm Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc USA said it has donated 2.5 million hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets for use in the US.

The company is seeking to enable healthcare experts meet the growing patient demands for this product as they assess its potential to treat COVID-19 through clinical trials, it said in a statement.

" At Sun Pharma, we are resolute in our purpose to help people live healthier lives and stand united in our global fight against COVID-19," Sun Pharma, North America CEOAbhay Gandhi said.