Dr Reddy's introduces anti-COVID drug molnupiravir at Rs 35 per capsule

Pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Tuesday launched antiviral drug molnupiravir at a price of Rs 35 per capsule. The pharma company said that the "affordably-priced" molnupiravir capsules 200mg will be launched under the 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 among the most affordable treatment options available to patients," Dr Reddy's Laboratories said in a statement. 

It added that 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 had 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). A consortium of pharma companies, led by Dr Reddy's, collaborated to jointly sponsor, supervise and monitor the phase III clinical trials in India, and presented its findings to the Subject Expert Committee (SEC).  

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Last week, Dr Reddy's received emergency-use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market the oral anti-viral drug molnupiravir capsules 200mg for treatment of adult patients with COVID-19, with SpO2 above 93 per cent and who have high risk of progression of disease, including hospitalisation or death. 

Molflu will be manufactured at a USFDA-approved facility, and Dr Reddy's has made adequate capacity preparations to ensure that it is able to help patients in need, the company said in a statement. 
 
Indicating a similar price a day before, drug major Mankind Pharma and generic pharmaceutical company BDR Pharmaceuticals also launched Molulife (molnupiravir). The tie-up is a licensing arrangement under which production will be done by BDR Pharma, and marketing, selling, promotion and distribution by Mankind Pharma. 
  
At least 13 firms -- Natco, MSN, Hetero, Optimus, Aurobindo, Mylan, Strides, Emcure, Cipla, Sun Pharma, Torrent including Dr Reddy's and BDR -- will now manufacture the drug in India.  
  
The drug has been granted approval by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as a safe and effective medication for patients with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. Recently, it also received emergency use authorization from USFDA.  

The drug was invented by Emory University (Atlanta, USA) and was developed by Merck & Co in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

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