Pharma major Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories on Tuesday said it would launch molnupiravir capsules 200 mg, the anti-viral drug that India recently granted emergency use authorisation for COVID-19 treatment, at ₹35 each under the brand name Molflu.
Each strip would have 10 capsules. With the recommended dose 800 mg twice a day for five days, the total course of 40 capsules would cost ₹1,400, making it among the most affordable treatment options available to patients, Dr. Reddy’s said.
From early next week
Molflu was expected to be available from early next week in pharmacies throughout the country with particular focus on States with high caseload of COVID-19. The drug would be manufactured at a USFDA-approved facility and Dr. Reddy’s had made adequate capacity preparations to ensure that it was able to help patients in need, the company said in a release.
Dr. Reddy’s is among a clutch of companies that received emergency use authorisation last week from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market Molnupiravir capsules 200 mg for the treatment of adult patients with COVID-19, who have high risk of progression of the disease.
Last year, the drug maker, like many others, entered into a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Merck Sharpe Dohme (MSD) to manufacture and supply molnupiravir in India and to over 100 low and middle-income countries.
In a first of its kind collaboration in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, a Dr. Reddy’s-led consortium of pharma companies collaborated to jointly sponsor, supervise and monitor the Phase III clinical trial in India and presented its findings to the Subject Expert Committee that advised the DCGI, the company said.