Mumbai-based VAV Life Sciences is ramping up the production of crucial lipid ingredients needed for manufacturing liposomal amphotericin-B, the drug used for treating mucormycosis. Due to the surge in cases of mucormycosis, India is currently facing an acute shortage of these raw materials, leading to hindrances in the production of amphotericin-B class of drugs, the company said in a statement.

To keep up with the rising demand from the pharmaceutical industry for these lipid ingredients to manufacture the medication, VAV Life Sciences has taken immediate steps to increase the production of the crucial lipids threefold within the next three months, according to the statement.

The statement alos said, “The company plans to expand its present capacity of 21 kg per month to 65 kg per month, by August 2021. This would help pharmaceutical companies produce about three lakh vials of liposomal amphotericin-B. VAV will also further increase its capacity to 130 kg per month by December, which would add approximately six lakh vials of the medication to the pharmaceutical supply chain, by the end of 2021. VAV will manufacture the lipid ingredients at its EU cGMP-certified facility under its subsidiary company, VAV Lipids, based at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra.”

Speaking of the company’s plans to expand production, Arun Kedia, Managing Director, VAV Life Sciences, said, “The unprecedented demand of liposomal amphotericin-B has put tremendous pressure on the supply chain for raw materials. Since our company plays such a crucial role in the supply chain, we are working round-the-clock to keep up with the demand from pharmaceutical companies for these crucial ingredients that will help them manufacture this medication in sufficient quantities.”