Aspen Pharmacare is working to ensure it can manage demand for a generic anti-inflammatory drug that was shown to improve survival in Covid-19 patients.

Africa’s biggest drug maker has set up a team to assess how much of the 60-year-old drug dexamethasone it can supply and by when, CEO Stephen Saad said on Wednesday.

‘Moving target’

Aspen needs to be able to assess the genuine demand so it can decide whether to dedicate a greater proportion of manufacturing to this drug versus others, Saad said.

Aspen is one of several companies to make the generic drug, which UK officials said will cost less than US$6 for a course of treatment.

The Oxford researchers said the drug may help coronavirus patients cope with a powerful overreaction of the immune system.