Sun Pharma to introduce Molnupiravir licensed from MSD and Ridgeback

Sun Pharma recently said that it is gearing up to introduce Merck Sharpe Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback’s Molnupiravir under the brand name Molxvir in India. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) is currently reviewing clinical data of Molnupiravir for the treatment of COVID-19 in adults in India. Earlier this year, the company had signed a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with MSD to manufacture and supply Molnupiravir in India and to over 100 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), Sun Pharma said in a statement.

It also said that Molnupiravir is the first oral antiviral approved by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID -19 in adults. It is under review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA).

Kirti Ganorkar, CEO, India Business, Sun Pharma, said, “The recent authorisation of Molnupiravir licensed from MSD and Ridgeback by the UK regulator is a positive step. In line with our consistent efforts to accelerate access to new drugs for COVID-19 treatment, we are gearing up to make Molxvir available to patients and healthcare providers across India at an economical price post-approval by DCGI. Molxvir will be manufactured at one of our plants in India and we have enough capacity to meet the demand.”

According to the statement, in the phase-III trial by Merck, Molnupiravir significantly reduced the risk of hospitalisation or death by approximately 50 per cent in a planned interim analysis of the MOVe-OUT trial in at risk, non-hospitalised adult patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Additionally, based on the participants with available viral sequencing data (approximately 40 per cent of participants), Molnupiravir demonstrated consistent efficacy across viral variants like Gamma, Delta and Mu.