The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the compassionate special permit (CSP) for the first generic version of Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill Paxlovid.
The CSP approval of Bexovid was announced by FDA officer-in-charge Dr. Oscar Gutierrez during the Monday (Jan. 10) public address of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Na-approve po ng FDA ang application ng DOH [Department of Health] para sa compassionate special permit institutional use para maging accessible ang unang generic version ng Paxlovid na ang brand name po ay Bexovid,” he said.
“The treatment is given as two tablets of Nirmatrelvir and one tablet of Ritonavir together twice a day for five days. Indicated po siya for aged 12 at pataas na may mild to moderate infection,” he added.
FDA OIC Gutierrez: Inaasahan na mas mura ang cost of treatment dahil generic brand ang Bexovid. Ang Biocare Lifesciences, Inc. ang magiging supplier ng DOH. pic.twitter.com/TTL6JL3ItJ
— PTVph (@PTVph) January 10, 2022
The official said Biocare Lifescience, Inc. will supply the DOH, and the latter will make it available to hospitals.
Meanwhile, the FDA said Pfizer may apply for emergency use authorization of its pill in the last week of January.
Gutierrez said Pfizer’s data shows that death and hospital admission risk is reduced by 88% when the drug is given within five days of symptom onset. – With reports from Mela Lesmoras/AG-rir
