The Kerala Drug Control Administration (DCA) has seized the counterfeit product of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals' antibiotic meropenem injectable branded as Meronem, from a private hospital at Chengannur, in Alappuzha district. The action was taken following a tip-off from AstraZeneca, which has the marketing rights of the drug in India.

In a search conducted by the Ernakulam branch of the intelligence bureau under the administration, seven vials of the drug - an ultra-broad spectrum injectible antibiotic for a wide variety of serious infections, including meningitis and pneumonia - has been seized from Century Hospital, Mulakkuzhi, Chengannur.

According to the statement from the hospital management, the product was not dispensed as the supplier offered the product in a price much less than the printed maximum retail price.

The product, which found as an off-white powder substance in contrary to the pure white powder in the original product, has been supplied under the bill of a defunct distribution company. The product was sold at Rs 1500 per vial while the maximum retail price of the imported Meronem is Rs 2500. The equipments used to copy the anti-counterfeit packaging system and seals to print the batch number and manufacturing date were confiscated from the house of the distributor, informed administration sources.

"We have submitted the seized vials in the Judicial Firstclass Majistrate court and has registered a case under 18(a)(1) against the distributor for marketing spurious drug," said Shaji Varghese, drug inspector, Special Intelligence Branch, DCA. He also added that this is the first clear case of counterfeiting reported in the state, as of now.

The efforts to identify the source of the product are also on the way. In the backdrop of the incident, the intelligence bureau has intensified its probe in the southern part of the state to pin down any similar activities. However, the administration failed to grab the supplier, as the suspect fled right before his house was searched.

The DCA is also contacting the company to identify the material found in the vial. The seizure of the product and the raid in the supplier's house was conducted by four teams of intelligence bureau and the teams are now to monitor similar activities in other private hospitals, informed a source from DCA.

Meronem is an injection or infusion generally used to treat severe infections like abdominal infections, infection of the blood (septicaemia or blood poisoning), infection of the lungs and airways (chest or lower respiratory tract infection), infections of the urinary tract, meningitis and skin or soft tissue infections. The product has an advantage as it may be less likely to cause an allergic reaction to people who have allergic reactions to penicillin in the past.