Recipharm, a contract development and manufacturing organization, has secured supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) chloroquine phosphate for its drug Klorokinfosf at RPH Pharma and has begun manufacturing the product. Chloroquine phosphate may be used as a potential therapy for COVID-19 patients.

While chloroquine products are not currently indicated for treatment or prevention of COVID-19 and must only be prescribed according to current guidelines, a large number of clinical studies involving chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have recently been initiated around the world. As a result, Recipharm has focused on having stock available in the event that demand increases upon positive clinical data and new guidelines.

In addition to manufacturing Klorokinfosfat RPH Pharma, Recipharm has also initiated the development of a new product with hydroxychloroquine as the API. This will allow the company to potentially offer a product containing the other form of chloroquine in case of possible future demand.

“As a pharmaceutical company we have a strong commitment to contribute to the treatment of COVID-19 patients. There is still a great need for more clinical evidence regarding the use of chloroquine, but we also need to prepare for the event that it could be identified as an effective part of COVID-19 treatment. I am therefore proud that we have been able to source API so quickly and that we are now prepared to build up our stock of chloroquine,” says Carl-Johan Spak, Senior VP Strategic Investments and Projects at Recipharm.