Vietnam may reprocess bird flu medicine Tamiflu
15/5/2007 16:34
Vietnam is extracting Oseltamivir phosphate, active agent of Tamiflu, to
reprocess the bird flu medicine, according to local newspaper Youth
today. Vietnam's Chemistry Institute is extracting the active agent from a
large amount of Tamiflu tablets and capsules stocked up by the country, which
are going to expire. The reprocess of Tamiflu will be more economical than new
purchase, and help handle the expired medicines more easily, said the
newspaper. Using state monies of nearly 3 billion Vietnamese dong (over
US$187,000), the chemistry is synthesizing Oseltamivir phosphate from local star
anise, an aromatic Asian evergreen tree that has purple-red flowers and
star-like clusters of anise- scented fruit. The synthesis is expected to
conclude in April 2008. The institute's scientists have found out a process
of extracting shikimic acid, a key material to synthesize Oseltamivir phosphate,
from anise fruit. With the process, prices of made-in- Vietnam Tamiflu medicines
are similar to those of imported ones. Vietnam's Health Ministry announced
late 2005 that it had inked a deal with Roche, Swiss producer of Tamiflu, under
which the firm would supply Vietnam with necessary materials and techniques to
manufacture the medicine in the country. At that time, Roche also agreed to
supply Vietnam with 25 million Tamiflu capsules in case of bird flu
pandemics. Vietnam has detected 93 bird flu patients, including 42
fatalities, in 32 localities since the disease started to hit the country in
December 2003, the ministry said today, noting that it has seen no new human
cases of infections since mid- November 2005.
Xinhua
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