Pharmaceutical firm Jubilant Generics, which had turned Nanjangud in Mysuru district into a Covid-19 hotspot, will resume manufacturing of drugs as the state government accorded clearance for its operations.
The company had sought permission to restart the operations after its parent company Jubilant Life Sciences tied up with the US drug firm Gilead to manufacture and sell Remdesivir, which is considered to be a frontline drug to treat Covid-19.
“The work on modification of the plant to supply the product has to begin immediately to manufacture Remdesivir. In view of this extreme urgency, it is critical to resume and normalise operations at the Jubilant Generics, Nanjangud plant immediately,” a letter to the government by the company read.
The company noted that it also manufactured critical medicines like Azithromycin, Losartan, Valsartan, Irbesartan, Carbamazepine, Oxcarbazepine.
“Jubilant also manufactures Azithromycin Dihydrate and Azithromycin Monohydrate that are used as the first line of treatment for COVID-19,” it said.
When contacted, Nanjangud MLA B Harshavardhan confirmed that the government has permitted the resumption of operations which are likely to commence in a few days.
All industrial activities have started and the Jubilant factory in Nanjangud, which was shut due to Covid-19, has been permitted to resume work, officials informed Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa during a review meeting on Thursday.
The company also stressed that preventive measures in line with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ guidelines and protocols will be followed, adding that detailed sanitising work was carried out by a professional agency.
The manufacturing of Remdesivir, Azithromycin and the supply of other drugs to people with the shortest possible time will save countless lives. In order to fight this global menace and in the interest of the people of the state of Karnataka and the country the plant needs to start full operations immediately, the letter added.
A person (52) employed at the Jubilant Generics was identified as the source of infection of Nanjangud Cluster spreading novel coronavirus to 76 people, of which 48 were primary contacts, 24 secondary and two tertiary contacts.
The state government instituted a probe under IAS officer Harsh Gupta in April to unravel the source of infection of the Nanjangud cluster. However, on May 2, he submitted an incomplete report to the government citing lack of cooperation from some departments.