(Yicai Global) Dec. 21 -- Honz Pharmaceutical, which makes medicines for children, said the shortfall of fever-reducing drugs in China is expected to be alleviated within two months, and possibly even sooner with regulatory intervention. The company’s shares rose.

At present, there is a certain gap between supply and demand, but it is not serious, Honz Pharma said late yesterday, adding that the Guangzhou-based drugmaker can guarantee smooth production and basically ensure supply.

China recently eased its Covid-19 pandemic controls, leading to a surge in infections. Due to panic-buying of fever drugs in many parts of the country, there was a short-term shortage of stock, which was quickly resolved. Shipments has since surged, Honz Pharma said.

Its sales this month rose significantly from the first 11 months of this year, the company said, adding that current orders are expected to be completed by the end of January.

Honz Pharma noted that there are two domestic makers of active pharmaceutical ingredients for ibuprofen, with a total annual production capacity of about 11,000 tons. The prices of APIs for ibuprofen and paracetamol have risen a little, but the fluctuations are not large, it said.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a document on Dec. 14, requiring local regulators to help manufacturers solve all problems in the production process, including raw material procurement, production capacity, and technological upgrading, so as to fully guarantee market supply.

Shares of Honz Pharma [SHE: 300086] closed 2 percent higher at CNY7.46 (USD1.07) apiece today. Due to the surge in demand for the company’s products, the shares have jumped as much as 33 percent this month to CNY9.3.

Honz Pharma said it produces more than 30 children’s drugs, including 21 varieties of pandemic products such as fever drugs and painkillers, cold medicines, cough-and-phlegm mixtures, antiviral drugs, antibiotics and disinfectants.

Editor: Peter Thomas