The Bengal government’s directorate of drugs control on Friday gave its approval to Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd to produce hydroxychloroquine tablets.

The public sector undertaking will use its manufacturing unit at Maniktala near EM Bypass to produce these tablets. P.M. Chandraiah, the company’s managing director, on Friday said the company has the capability to produce around 8-10 lakh tablets per day as a finished product out of the bulk drug sourced as raw material. The capacity can be scaled up with extra shifts at the plant.

The company was already producing chloroquine tablets as an anti-malarial drug. Chandraiah said with the new approval and adequate raw material, it won’t be difficult to produce the tablets.

Hydroxychloroquine has suddenly gained importance after the Indian Council of Medical Research approved its use to treat corona-related complications along with a surge in global demand led by the US.

“The problem is raw materials. The company has requested the state and central government to provide the raw material,” said Chandraiah.