Coronavirus Outbreak: Goa-based drug maker GAPL eyes to get licence to produce hydroxychloroquine sulfate

Panaji: Goa Antibiotics Private Ltd (GAPL), a central public sector undertaking, has begun the process of procuring a licence to produce hydroxychloroquine sulfate, which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of COVID-19. [caption id=“attachment_4492039” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] GAPL is a subsidiary of HLL Lifecare Limited under the administrative control of Union ministry of health and family welfare. The company has a manufacturing facility at Tuem in North Goa. “The company has a licence to produce chloroquine sulfate (not hydroxychloroquine sulfate), but we have not produced it for the last 15 year. However, we have now decided to get licence for hydroxychloroquine sulfate considering the current demand,” GAPL chief executive officer Reju Skaria said on Friday. He said that the company has been producing various pharmaceutical products depending upon the demand. “We have the capacity to produce two crore tablets per month. We can utilise this capacity to produce any pharmaceutical product, for which we have a licence,” he said. Skaria stated that there are difficulties in availability and transporting the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) required for the formations due to current lockdown.