MUMBAI - Indian pharmaceutical company Cipla has launched remdesivir lyophilized powder for 100mg injection to treat severe COVID-19 patients in the domestic market, a company statement said, late Sunday.

Remdesivir is a broad-spectrum antiviral medication developed by the US based biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, who had extended a voluntary non-exclusive license to a handful Indian and Pakistani companies including Cipla to manufacture and market the drug.

"We have been deeply invested in exploring all possible avenues to save millions of lives impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, and this launch is a significant milestone in that direction. We will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem towards providing access to such promising treatments in furtherance with our belief that no patient should be denied access to life-saving treatments," said Umang Vohra, Managing Director and Global CEO, Cipla Limited, without disclosing the pricing of the injectable drug.

Last week, another Indian company Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had launched anti-viral drug Favipiravir for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients in the domestic market at $1.35 per tablet.

Cipla will be commercializing remdesivir through its own facilities and partnered sites and will supply the drug through government and open market channels, to ensure equitable distribution.

As on Monday morning, India, ranked fourth among all countries for confirmed COVID-19 cases, has 174,387 active cases with 13,699 deaths reported so far.