Hetero last week announced positive results of phase-III trials of Movfor (Molnupiravir), an investigational oral anti-viral COVID-19 medicine.
The results, presented as an Oral Abstract at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) held virtually from 12th to 16th February, 2022, demonstrated that Molnupiravir, along with Standard Of Care (SOC), reduced the risk of hospitalisation by over 65 per cent compared to SOC alone.
Early viral clearance (negative RT-PCR) and significant clinical improvement were observed within five days of administering the antiviral drug, the Hyderabad-based drug maker said in a statement. No fatalities were reported during the study, it added.
Under the phase-III trials, one of the studies included 1,218 COVID-19 patients, it said. The study enrolled eligible patients, within five days of symptom onset, who were administered with Molnupiravir capsules (800 mg twice daily) for five days, it added.
Hetero entered into a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with MSD in April 2021 for the manufacturing and distribution of Molnupiravir for the treatment of COVID-19.
Under this licensing deal, Hetero was allowed to expand access of Molnupiravir in India and in other Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), following the approvals for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) by local regulatory agencies.