US nod for Covid-19 drug molnupiravir raises hope for Indian approval

Oral medication targets ribonucleic acid polymerase, a part of the virus that has not changed much after mutations in the Omicron variant.

The USFDA’s approval on Thursday for Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics' antiviral drug to treat Covid-19 paves the way for India to do the same soon.

Molnupiravir, an affordable oral drug, targets the ribonucleic acid polymerase, a part of the virus that has not changed much after mutations in the Omicron variant.

The subject expert committee (SEC) that is advising the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had sought more data from a consortium of drugmakers--Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL), Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma), and Cipla.

“In its last meeting, the SEC had requested more data from