March 23, 2006

Vietnam to mass-produce Tamiflu in two years

Vietnamese scientists said Tuesday they have successfully synthesized the main ingredient in the antiviral drug Tamiflu, which the country hopes to mass produce in two years to stop the spread of bird flu.

Tran Van Sung, director of the Chemistry Institute, said his agency has synthesized oseltamivir phosphate from the plant anise. Oseltamivir is the generic name for Tamiflu. Sung also added that more funds would be slated for research on the manufacturing process.

Sung said his project is independent from an agreement reached last year under which Roche agreed to give Vietnam the raw drug materials to be put in capsules.

Anise is grown in northern Vietnam and Sung said the country could produce enough for domestic use in case of a flu pandemic. The country would either trade the ingredients for the drug with Roche or produce the drug itself, Sung said.

The news comes one week after Indonesia announced it would be producing 7 million Tamiflu this year, in partnership with an Indian company licensed by Roche Holdings.