Indian drug developer Hetero said it has received emergency use approval from the country's health authorities to make a generic version of Roche Holding AG's Covid-19 drug.

Hetero expects to make the treatment, Tocilizumab, available in India by the end of the month under the brand name Tocira. Tocilizumab has been facing a global shortage as the highly contagious Covid-19 Delta variant drives up cases in several countries, according to a Reuters report.

Roche's blockbuster arthritis drug, Tocilizumab, cuts the risk of death among patients hospitalised with severe Covid-19 along with shortening the recovery time and reducing the need for mechanical ventilation.