Dr Reddy's Laboratories to introduce Molnupiravir to treat Covid-19 shortly

Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Tuesday said it will soon introduce antiviral drug Molnupiravir capsules (200mg) for the treatment of adult patients with COVID-19 across the country.

The Hyderabad-based firm said it will introduce the drug under the brand name Molflu in India.

The company has received emergency-use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market the antiviral drug for the treatment of adult patients with COVID-19, who have high risk of progression of the disease including hospitalisation or death.

Earlier this year, the drug major 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).

"Molnupiravir is a continuation of our constant effort since the start of the pandemic to ensure access to every possible treatment option against COVID-19 from prevention to mild, moderate and severe disease for patients in India and around the world," Dr Reddy's Co-Chairman and Managing Director G V Prasad said in a statement.

The approval to launch Molnupiravir is an important development not only as a treatment option, but also for the collaborative manner in which Indian pharma companies came together, he added.

"Throughout the pandemic, we have sought to create diverse collaborations and partnerships to meet unmet medical needs of as many patients as possible globally," Prasad noted.

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, a Dr Reddy's-led consortium of pharma companies collaborated to jointly sponsor, supervise and monitor the Phase III clinical trial in India, and presented its findings to the Subject Expert Committee (SEC).

The drug firm said it is able to manufacture the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) as well as the formulation for Molnupiravir, and has made adequate capacity preparations to ensure that it is able to help patients in India as well as in patient populations in need around the world.

Molnupiravir is an oral antiviral that inhibits the replication of multiple RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2.