PRNewswire/ Neopharma, the Abu Dhabi-based pharmaceuticals manufacturer, today announced it has received clearance from the UAE Ministry of Health for the production of an antiviral medication Oseltamivir BR Flu.
The approval comes at a time when the entire region is stepping up efforts to tackle the H1N1 pandemic. The drug is a potential choice to prevent and treat H1N1 flu in the region.
His Excellency Abdulla Humaid Al Mazroei, Vice-Chairman, Neopharma, and Dr. B.R. Shetty, Managing Director and CEO, thanked the UAE Ministry of Health on behalf of the Board of Directors of the company.
Dr. Shetty said: "The endorsement for the antiviral drug to be manufactured by Neopharma reflects the strong support of the Ministry of Health for the vision of the UAE leadership to create a self-sustaining community. As a leading manufacturer of life-saving drugs, we believe it is our responsibility to play a vital role in helping the community at this critical juncture.
"We are confident the approval for Oseltamivir will significantly facilitate medical professionals and the wider community to effectively combat the lethal H1N1 virus in the region."
Neopharma's Oseltamivir BR Flu is the outcome of a joint venture with leading pharmaceuticals major Hetero Drugs Ltd and is the first in a series of major life-saving drugs the company plans to produce over the next few years.
Currently, Neopharma has independent production blocks for the manufacture of general and betalactam products. The company's plant in Abu Dhabi is designed for the large-scale production of tablets, capsules and liquid orals.