Neopharma, a pharmaceuticals manufacturer based in Abu Dhabi, said it has received clearance from the UAE Ministry of Health for its antiviral medication Oseltamivir BR Flu.

The Oseltamivir BR Flu is the outcome of a joint venture with leading pharmaceuticals major Hetero Drugs and is the first in a series of major life-saving drugs that Neopharma plans to produce over the next few years in the region, the company said in a statement.

The Oseltamivir BR Flu, the company said, was a potential choice to prevent and treat H1N1 flu in the region.

The ministry’s approval for Neopharma’s drug comes at a time when the entire region is gripped by fears over the H1N1 pandemic, said a senior official.

Abdulla Humaid Al Mazroei, vice-chairman, Neopharma, and Dr. BR Shetty, managing director and CEO, thanked the UAE ministry of health on behalf of the board of directors of the company.

Dr Shetty said: 'The endorsement for the antiviral drug manufactured by Neopharma, a local company, reflects the strong support of the ministry of health for the vision of the UAE leadership to create a self-sustaining community.'

'As a leading manufacturer of life-saving drugs, we believe it is our responsibility to play a vital role in helping the community at this critical juncture,' he remarked.

“We are confident the approval for Oseltamivir will significantly facilitate medical professionals and the wider community to effectively tackle the lethal H1N1 virus in the region,” Dr Shetty said.

Neopharma at present has independent production blocks for the manufacture of general and betalactam products. The company’s plant in Abu Dhabi is designed for large-scale production of tablets, capsules and liquid orals, he added.-TradeArabia News Service