Molnupiravir, antiviral drug to treat Covid-19, rolled out at affordable cost

If vaccine developments were the biggest success of 2020, the approval of two antiviral pills in December was that of 2021. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorised Pfizers Paxlovid pill and Merck’s Molnupiravir pill to treat Covid-19. They were approved for emergency use in people who are more likely to become seriously ill-mainly those above 65 years and those with co morbidities. Though their introduction is a major breakthrough, scientists were quick to stress that antivirals cannot replace vaccination.

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories will launch molnupiravir capsules 200mg under its brand name Molflu across India. Dr. Reddy’s Molflu will be priced at Rs. 35 per capsule with 10 capsules contained per strip, and the total course of 40 capsules over 5 days costing Rs 1,400 making it an affordable treatment option available to patients, a company spokesperson said.

Molflu is expected to be available from early next week in pharmacies throughout the country with particular focus on states with high caseload of Covid-19 . Earlier this year, Dr. Reddy’s entered into a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Merck Sharpe Dohme (MSD) to manufacture and supply Molnupiravir to India and over 100 low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

There are 13 Indian pharmaceutical companies, including Torrent, Cipla, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s, Natco, Mylan, and Hetero, that will manufacture the oral pill. The drug is approved for limited use in an emergency situation for the treatment of adult patients with a high risk of Covid-19 progression. Cipla Ltd’s product under the brand name`Cipmolnu 200? is now in the market in a bottle pack of 40 capsules of 200 mg each. The MRP is Rs 2000 while MRP of Hetero is Rs 2450. Molnupiravir, developed by MSD and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, has been approved by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 patients who are at high risk of developing severe disease.

Credit : The Indian Express 

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