Coronavirus curve will not flatten in India if testing not increased: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Amid the staggering rise of coronavirus cases in India, Biocon chairman and managing director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said that the curve of the deadly disease would not flatten soon.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Shaw stated that community transmission was themost worrisome factor as there was less focus on asymptomatic cases.

Shaw expressed her anxiousness over the community spread in India. She said that several migrants who have gone back home could be asymptomatic. Shaw said coronavirus testing has been downplayed in the country despite the rise in cases.

India, on Tuesday, reported a total of 1,98,706 cases of coronavirus and 5,598 deaths. In the last one month period, India's coronavirus cases have risen by 80 per cent.

The Biocon head said hat it was the right stage to increase coronavirus testing via serological tests and pool testing.

On coronavirus cure, Shaw said remdesivir had cast very high expectations. She added that remdesivir had a role to play perhaps in the early stage of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Biocon's partner Mylan received a favourable ruling from the US Patent and Trademark Appeal Board (PTAB) for four device patents of Sanofi's Lantus SoloSTAR. The ruling would pave the way for the launch of insulin product Glargine in the US.

A new drug application (NDA) of Biocon's partner for Semglee is under active review by the US FDA.

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