Thailand is expected to be able to produce the anti-viral drug, Favipiravir, early next year, Mrs. Nanthakarn Suwanpidokkul, a special specialist attached to the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), said today.

Currently, Favipiravir 200mg tablets, which are used in the treatment of COVID-19, is under development in laboratory to find the right formula, after which the drug will go through physical and chemical analyses to determine if it meets the specifications, she said.

Once the right formula is found, and the results of trials are satisfactory, the GPO will go into semi-industrial production to, initially, produce 100,000 tablets in each production unit, which are expected to undergo bioequivalence studies in January next year.

The drug will be tested on healthy volunteers, after which their blood samples will be tested to determine the bioavailability. Commercial production may commence in 2022.

Additionally, Mrs. Nanthakarn said that the GPO is collaborating with the National Science and Technology Development Agency to develop raw materials for use in the production of Favipiravir.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration has recalled South Korean-made Neuronox Botox, after it was notified by South Korea that its manufacturer, Medytox, had falsified information about the drug and used unapproved precursors in its production.

All beauty hospitals and clinics have been told by the Thai FDA to suspend the use of Neuronox Botox and to return stocks to the authorized Thai import company, Medi Celes Ltd.