Everest Organics starts making ingredient for Merck’s COVID-19 pill

Everest Organics said yesterday it had started making the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for a generic version of Merck’s experimental anti-viral drug Molnupiravir to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

The bulk drugs manufacturer joins Divi’s Laboratories as an API maker for Merck’s experimental oral drug.

Merck has separately entered into voluntary licensing agreements with at least eight Indian generic drugmakers for Molnupiravir, with an aim to turn the country into a manufacturing hub for the drug.

“After the successful development and commercialisation of various COVID-19 drugs such as Oseltamivir, Remdesivir… Everest Organics is on its path of expansion of this portfolio,” Srikakarlapudi Sirisha, Chief Executive Officer of the company said in a statement.

Merck said earlier this week that it had sought the US emergency use authorisation for the drug, putting Molnupiravir on course to become the first oral anti-viral medication for COVID-19.

The US authorisation application was based on the data released earlier this month by Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

The data showed Molnupiravir nearly halved the risk of hospitalisation or death in at-risk non-hospitalised patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.