New Delhi:
With the DCGI approving the anti-COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir for emergency use in the country, Strides Pharma said on Tuesday it will launch the capsule immediately, while six other homegrown pharmaceutical companies announced their generic versions of the drug will be out soon. to roll.
Strides, Dr. Reddy’s, Sun Pharma, Cipla, Hetero, Torrent and Optimus said they have received approvals from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture their limited-use versions of Molnupiravir, an oral drug for COVID-19, and on the to market. emergency (EUA) in India.
They plan to market the capsules under their respective brands and make them available at all leading pharmacies and COVID treatment centers nationwide.
Earlier this year, these companies had signed non-exclusive voluntary license agreements with MSD to manufacture and supply the generic version of Molnupiravir in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India.
In a statement, Strides Pharma Science Ltd said it will “immediately launch Molnupiravir in India under its Stripiravir brand”.
The company is commercializing the product with a group-integrated supply chain for active pharmaceutical ingredients and fixed oral dosage from its large-scale WHO prequalified (PQ) manufacturing capabilities, it added.
“We are pleased to receive DCGI approval for the launch of Molnupiravir, which has shown promising results in several clinical trials. The product offers therapeutic benefit to the patients with mild to moderate COVID symptoms and can be administered at home,” Strides Pharma Science Ltd Managing Director and CEO R Ananthanarayanan said.
dr. Reddy’s Laboratories said it will soon introduce the antiviral drug Molnupiravir capsules (200mg) under the brand name ‘Molflu’ in India.
The approval to market Molnupiravir is an important development not only as a treatment option but also for the way Indian pharmaceutical companies came together, said Dr. Reddy’s Co-Chairman and General Manager GV Prasad.
dr. Reddy’s said it is capable of manufacturing both the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and formulation for Molnupiravir, and that it has adequate capacity preparations to ensure it can serve both patients in India and patient populations in need around the world. to help. world.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries said it will market its Molnupiravir capsules under the brand name ‘Molxvir’ in India. “Our aim is to make the product available within a week,” said Kirti Ganorkar, CEO of Sun Pharma of India Business.
He stated that Molnupiravir is an important addition to the portfolio of oral therapies available to treat COVID-19 patients and said: “Consistent with our consistent efforts to increase access to new drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 accelerate, we will make Molxvir available to patients at an affordable price.” Speaking about the production plans, Ganorkar said: “Currently, the plan is to produce molnupiravir at one of our major plants in India, and if there is a need, we can increase capacity.” Mumbai-based Cipla will sell the drug under the ‘Cipmolnu’ brand and said it will soon make the capsules available at all leading pharmacies and Covid treatment centers across the country.
“This launch is another step in our pursuit of access to all treatments in COVID care,” said Cipla Ltd MD and Global CEO Umang Vohra.
Hyderabad-based Hetero said it will market the product under the ‘Movfor’ brand.
The chairman of the Hetero Group of Companies, B Partha Saradhi Reddy, stated that the approval by the authorities consolidates India’s efforts to tackle the world’s biggest health threat COVID-19, saying: “This improvement in access to critical medicine will always remain the top priority for us.” Hetero said it will market the capsule under the Movfor brand and will be manufactured at its facilities in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh.
“Hetero’s Movfor will be made available in a pack of 40 capsules (200 mg per capsule) and will be marketed by its associate company ‘Hetero Healthcare’ in India with the support of its strong distribution network across the country,” added it up to it.
Ahmedabad-based Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd said it is introducing Molnupiravir under the brand name Molnutor in India.
“We are delighted to partner with MSD to bring Molnupiravir to patients across India. Molnupiravir will be an important addition to the ammunition of our healthcare system in the fight against Covid-19,” said Torrent Pharma (Executive Director India) Aman mehta.
Another homegrown drug manufacturer, Aurobindo Pharma, said it will market its generic version of Molnupiravir under the Molnaflu brand and is enjoying backward integration with in-house API manufacturing, giving it greater control over the supply chain and cost savings.
“The product will be manufactured at the company’s manufacturing facilities in India that have been approved by global regulatory authorities, including USFDA and UKMHRA,” it added.
DCGI’s timely approval for the generic version of Molnupiravir opens up access to an affordable treatment option for COVID19 patients and enables us to help fight the pandemic with effective and high-quality pharmaceutical products, said Aurobindo Pharma Vice President K Nithyananda Reddy.
Optimus Pharma also said it would launch its version of Molnupiravir in the Indian market in a day or two. The DCGI, based on review of clinical data of Molnupiravir, has approved it for the treatment of adult patients with Covid-19, with an SpO2 less than 93 percent and at high risk of disease progression, including hospitalization or passing away.
MSD India Region Managing Director Rehan A Khan said the approval will support patient access to Molnupiravir in India and for more than 100 low- and middle-income countries.
“MSD has a long track record in making our medicines and vaccines accessible worldwide, and we remain committed to doing the same to fight the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
The company is pleased to partner with its voluntary licensing and manufacturing to expand access for Molnupiravir, Mr Khan noted.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.)