The six pharmaceutical companies that got the permission are -- Beximco, Beacon, Eskayef (SK-F), Incepta, Square and Healthcare.

The Directorate General of Drug Administration has given permission to six pharmaceutical companies to produce the potential Covid-19 drug "remdesivir".

The companies are -- Beximco, Beacon, Eskayef (SK-F), Incepta, Square and Healthcare.

The Drug Administration gave permission considering the current coronavirus situation in the country, Assistant Director Mohammad Salahuddin told The Business Standard.

A drug administration official, unwilling to be named, said that SK-F and Beximco are going to start the production after importing the raw materials within this month.

But the decision on - when the medicines will be sent to the hospitals - is yet to be made. The decision will come after the trial of the medicine.

Remdesivir is being used on Covid-19 patients in several countries including the US. It has a history to work well against the SARS and Ebola virus.