As India sees a consistent rise in daily cases and deaths due to COVID-19, the off-patent industry is stepping up to make drugs affordable and available. Zydus Cadila is seeking approval for virafin, while Natco has applied for molnupiravir approval. Vaccine production and availability has also come under focus. 

AstraZeneca has sent a legal notice to Indian partner Serum Institute for non-delivery of COVID-19 vaccines. Will this and the entry of a new challenger, Sputnik V, in the Indian market affect Serum’s fortunes? Will the EMA and MHRA announcement on clotting incidents related to the AZ vaccine shrink demand for the partnered vaccine?

Global research consortium to investigate the use of immunoglobulin as a COVID-19 therapy ends following disappointing results from a Phase III trial. Meanwhile, Russian vaccine producer RDIF is snapping up more production capacity in India, where interferon has also progressed as a possible treatment. 

Concern in India as a double-mutant strain with E484Q and L452R escape mutations has been found in the state of Maharashtra.