Healthy Inc > Blog > Mefloquine 250mg manufacturer India
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Is mefloquine available in India?

In the pharmaceutical industry, Mefloquine (brand name Lariam) is a potent, long-acting antimalarial drug utilized for both prevention and treatment of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.

As a pharmacist and manufacturer, I can confirm that Mefloquine is available and manufactured in India in 2026. However, its use is strictly regulated due to its significant neuropsychiatric side-effect profile.

Availability & Manufacturing in India

  • Manufacturing Hub: Several Indian firms, primarily in Surat and Ankleshwar, Gujarat, are major manufacturers and exporters of Mefloquine 250 mg tablets.

  • Approval Status: It is approved by the CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organization) for specific indications.

  • Brand Landscape: While many global markets have shifted away from Mefloquine, it remains available under several Indian trade names:

    • Mefque (Zydus Cadila)

      Meflotas (Intas/Lupin)

    • Mefloc (Aristo)

      Falcimef (HAB Pharma)

    • Confal (Lupin)

National Drug Policy & Clinical Use

The National Drug Policy on Malaria (2013) in India provides specific guidelines for its use:

  • Chemoprophylaxis: It is recommended for travelers or personnel (including armed forces) staying in endemic areas for longer than 6 weeks.

  • Dosing: For prevention, it is taken as a 250 mg weekly dose, starting 2 weeks before arrival and continuing for 4 weeks after leaving the endemic area.

  • Combination Therapy: It is often co-formulated with Artesunate (ACT) to treat drug-resistant malaria.

The Pharmacist’s “Technical Warning”

As you promote your firm on digital platforms, providing these technical warnings is essential for clinical authority:

  • Neuropsychiatric Risk: Mefloquine can cause severe anxiety, depression, hallucinations, and “frank psychosis”. It is strictly contraindicated in patients with a history of psychiatric disorders or seizures.

    Long Half-Life: The drug has an exceptionally long half-life of 2 to 4 weeks. This means side effects can persist long after the medication is stopped.

  • Cardiac Warning: It should be used with caution in patients with heart rhythm disorders, as it can cause QT prolongation.

The Manufacturer’s Perspective: Technical & Export

From a production and B2B standpoint at your facility in Mumbai:

  • The “ACT” Strategy: On your marketplace, highlight your Artesunate + Mefloquine FDCs. These are high-demand products for international health tenders, especially in Southeast Asia and Africa where resistance is a concern.

  • Stability for Export: Mefloquine is stable but requires protection from light and moisture. Utilizing Alu-Alu blister packaging ensures a 36-month shelf life, vital for export to Zone IVb tropical regions.

  • Dossier Support: We provide full CTD/eCTD Dossiers to support your firm’s registration in international markets and for bidding on global antimalarial tenders

Artesunate Mefloquine Tablets

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What is Mefloquine used for?

In the pharmaceutical industry, Mefloquine Hydrochloride is a 4-quinoline methanol derivative and a potent blood schizontocidal antimalarial. As a pharmacist and manufacturer, I classify this as a “Long-Acting Protector,” used both for the acute treatment of malaria and for long-term prophylaxis (prevention).

At your WHO-GMP facility in Mumbai, you likely manufacture this as Mefloquine 250 mg tablets, which are a staple for travelers and residents in malaria-endemic regions.

Primary Clinical Uses

  • Prophylaxis (Prevention): The drug of choice for travelers going to areas where there is a high risk of Chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum.

  • Acute Treatment: Used to treat uncomplicated malaria caused by P. falciparum or P. vivax.

  • Combination Therapy: Often paired with Artesunate (Artesunate + Mefloquine FDC) to ensure rapid clearance and prevent the development of drug resistance.

Mechanism of Action: The Parasite “Stun”

Mefloquine targets the malaria parasite while it is inside the human red blood cell.

Heme Disruption: Like other quinolines, it interferes with the parasite’s ability to detoxify heme (a byproduct of hemoglobin digestion).

Vacuole Damage: It causes swelling and destruction of the parasite’s food vacuole, effectively “starving” it and causing it to drown in its own toxic waste products.

Long Persistence: The defining feature of Mefloquine is its half-life of 2–3 weeks. This allows for the convenient once-weekly dosing used in prophylaxis.

The Manufacturer’s Perspective: Technical & Export

From a production and B2B standpoint at your facility in Mumbai, Mefloquine requires specialized marketing and regulatory attention:

  • The “Neuropsychiatric” Caveat: As a pharmacist, you know Mefloquine is associated with “vivid dreams” or anxiety in some patients. On your digital platforms, highlighting that your Product Information Leaflet (PIL) includes a clear “Patient Safety Screening” guide builds immense professional trust with international distributors.

  • Fixed-Dose Combination (FDC) Strategy: For your marketplace, you should highlight the Artesunate 100 mg + Mefloquine 200 mg combination. This FDC is highly sought after by NGOs because it simplifies the regimen and increases patient compliance in field conditions.

  • Stability for Export: Mefloquine is relatively stable but sensitive to light. At our facility, we utilize Alu-Alu blister packaging to ensure a 36-month shelf life, which is essential for export to tropical Zone IVb regions (Africa/Southeast Asia).

  • Dossier Readiness: We maintain full CTD/eCTD Dossiers to support your firm in bidding for massive government and travel-clinic tenders worldwide.

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