New anti-COVID drug may cost up to Rs. 3,000: Report
What's the story
Molnupiravir, an antiviral medication, is projected to cost between Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 3,000 for a full treatment. The drug—created by Merck and Ridgeback-Biotherapeutics—was recently granted emergency use authorization by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for use among COVID-19 patients. Merck said earlier it plans to utilize a graded pricing structure based on the World Bank income criteria.
Context
Why does it matter?
Molnupiravir is the first oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19 to be approved. Merck says the drug cuts hospitalizations and deaths by half in patients with early COVID-19 symptoms. The development takes precedence with the emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variant of coronavirus. Amid concerns of a third wave of COVID-19, experts predict coronavirus infections in India may rise soon.
Do you know?
Which Indian companies will be manufacturing the drug?
Molnupiravir will be manufactured by 13 Indian pharmaceutical companies, including Cipla, Torrent, Dr. Reddy's, Sun Pharma, Mylan, Natco, Hetero, and Optimus. "Stocks of molnupiravir are expected to reach us by January 3," Arihant Chemist Managing Director Rajesh Jain told The Economic Times.
Eligibility
Who will be eligible for molnupiravir?
Molnupiravir is not recommended for children under the age of 18. The medication is also not meant for COVID-19-infected individuals who need to be hospitalized immediately. It only helps prevent COVID-19 from progressing into severe disease in those with early symptoms. An 800 mg dose twice a day is recommended. It is not permitted to be consumed for more than five consecutive days.
Testing
Molnupiravir to undergo further testing
The 13 companies will test molnupiravir on 1,000 patients each to determine its safety as part of post-marketing surveillance (PMS), CNN-News18 reported. The DCGI reportedly expects the trial's data within three months. The companies will be required to submit data on the drug's effects and side-effects every three months. The latest data on patients being administered molnupiravir will also be shared with the companies.
Methodology
How does molnupiravir work?
Molnupiravir works by causing errors in the virus's reproduction mechanism, according to the UK drug regulatory agency. The treatment causes mutations to accumulate by deceiving the virus into incorporating its material into copies of viral RNA. This renders the virus unable to replicate. The medication is able to lessen the severity of the condition by keeping virus rates low in the body.