The company, also known as SK+F, has produced the drug under the brand name of ‘Remivir 100 Injection.’
The drug comes in the form of powder, which is diluted mixing sterile water for injection. It is administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 to 120 minutes.
Eskayef, owned by businessman Latifur Rahman, began marketing the drug at different government approved hospitals and clinics in Dhaka from Friday morning.
Latifur Rahman also owns the Bengali daily Prothom Alo and English daily The Daily Star.
“At this crucial time in the country, we are happy to give the people the good news that we have successfully completed all the steps in the manufacturing of Remdesivir, globally recognised as the only effective drug against coronavirus,” Managing Director and CEO of Eskayef, Simeen Hossain told media.
This drug is mainly manufactured by US company Gilead Sciences Inc.
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Remdesivir as a drug to be used against coronavirus.
The drug administration in Japan gave its permission on May 7 to use this drug on coronavirus patients.
However, a health official there informed Reuters that it has not been determined as yet when Japan will begin the manufacture of this drug. It has been learnt that Gilead Sciences is negotiating with large companies in India and Pakistan regarding the manufacture of Remdesivir. Eskayef is the first drug manufacturing company in the world to successfully manufacture generic Remdesivir.
Simeen Hossain also said that the formulation scientists at Eskayef started working on the development of Remdesivir from mid-March immediately after the drug administration gave its approval to use this drug.
