Sun Pharmaceutical Industries on Tuesday has got emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market a generic version of Merck’s anti-Covid pill Molnupiravir in India.
Sun Pharma will launch Molnupiravir under the brand name Molxvir in India, within a week, the company said in a statement.
Amid the ongoing resurgence of new Covid-19 cases in India, an expert panel of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on Tuesday approved Merck’s anti-viral drug molnupiravir for restricted use in emergency situations.
Earlier this year, Sun Pharma had signed a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with US-based Merck to manufacture and supply a generic version of molnupiravir in over 100 low and middle-income countries (LMICs) including India.
The DCGI, based on the review of clinical data of molnupiravir has approved molnupiravir for treatment of adult patients with Covid-19, with oxygen saturation less than 93 per cent and who have a high risk of progression of the disease, including hospitalisation or death.
“Molnupiravir is an important addition to the portfolio of oral therapies available for treating Covid-19 patients. In line with our consistent efforts to accelerate access to new drugs for Covid-19 treatment, we will make Molxvir available to patients at an affordable price,” said Kirti Ganorkar, CEO of India Business, Sun Pharma, in a statement.
Ganorkar added that the company is in the process of launching a toll-free helpline to ensure the availability of Molxvir to doctors and patients across India.
“Our endeavour is to make the product available in a week’s time,” she said.