Emergency Use Antiviral Drug Gets Pharma Consortium Support

As the Omicron cases are on the rise in India, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval for the emergency use of the two more vaccines and an antiviral drug, Molnupiravir, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted recently.

The approval has now created a quick movement amongst pharmaceutical companies that are now setting on in a consortium production of the same. Most of the pharma firms have now entered into a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Merck Sharpe Dohme (MSD) to manufacture and supply Molnupiravir in India and to over 100 low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Molnupiravir, sold under the brand name Lagevrio among others, is an antiviral medication that inhibits the replication of certain RNA viruses. It is used to treat COVID-19 in those infected by SARS-CoV-2.

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Various pharma companies are gearing up to produce this oral drug. The Dr. Reddy’s-led consortium of pharma companies has collaborated to jointly sponsor, supervise and monitor the Phase III clinical trial in India and presented the findings to the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) that advises the DCGI.

Dr. Reddy will start manufacturing the molnupiravir 200mg capsules under the brand name Molflu. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries meanwhile will also be looking at manufacturing and market a generic version of MSD and Ridgeback’s Molnupiravir under the brand name Molxvir. According to their official spokesperson, the recommended dose of the drug is 800 mg twice a day for five days. The duration of treatment of molnupiravir is much shorter compared to other therapies which is a significant advantage as it reduces the pill burden and enhances compliance.

The Hyderabad-based pharma company Hetero has said that the drug will be available in a 40-capsule pack. Commercial production of Movfor will be undertaken at Hetero’s facilities in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, chairman of the Group B. Partha Saradhi Reddy.

Other climbing the bandwagon include Natco and Torrent Pharma.