Oral anti-viral drug for COVID-19 treatment at Rs 35 per capsule: all you need to know

On Tuesday, Dr Reddy`s Laboratories announced that Molflu, the oral anti-viral drug for treatment of COVID-19, will be priced at Rs 35 per capsule with 10 capsules contained per strip, as per an IANS report.

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The common people must know that the the Hyderabad-based company has said that the total course of 40 capsules over 5 days will cost Rs 1,400. A company spokesperson has also informed that it is launching the most affordably-priced Molnupiravir capsules 200mg under its brand name Molflu across India.

It must be noted that Molflu is expected to be available from early next week in pharmacies throughout the country with particular focus on states with high caseload of COVID-19.

Earlier this year, Dr Reddy`s entered into a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Merck Sharpe Dohme (MSD) to manufacture and supply Molnupiravir to India and over 100 low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

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 3 clinical trial in India, and presented its findings to the Subject Expert Committee (SEC).

Last week, Dr Reddy`s received emergency-use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market the oral anti-viral drug Molnupiravir capsules 200mg for the treatment of adult patients with Covid-19, with SpO2 (oxygen saturation) of more than 93 per cent and who have high risk of progression of the disease including hospitalisation or death.

Molflu will be manufactured at a USFDA-approved facility, and Dr Reddy`s has made adequate capacity preparations to ensure that it is able to help patients in need, the spokesperson added.

Speaking of the COVID-19 scenario in the country, India has recorded 58,097 new cases in the last 24 hours as per the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. India has also started vaccination of children between 15 to 18 years old from January 3, 2022.