Covid Medicine Launched In India: Rs 1399 For 5-Day Course To Get Covid Treatment

A full treatment of Molnupiravir, an antiviral drug approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use, will cost Rs 1,399 for the full five-day course.

Distribution Agreement

The oral therapy is developed by Merck and its partner, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

It has signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing pacts with established Indian generic makers to manufacture, distribute and market the drug in India, and to over 100 low and middle-income countries.

At least 6 of the 13 brands of Molnupiravir will launch the drug in the market at prices ranging between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500 for the complete treatment.

Compared To Remdesivir

Some of those companies include Hetero, Sun Pharma, Natco and Dr Reddy’s.

This makes it one of the cheapest antiviral coronavirus therapies available.

It could also replace remdesivir in popularity when it comes to Covid treatment since it does not need to be administered intravenously or only in medical settings.

Major Countries Give Nod

It is the first oral anti-Covid pill to have received approval from the UK’s drug regulator and the US Food and Drug Administration.

After the USFDA nod, DCGI approved it for treatment of adult patients with SpO2 93%, and who have high risk of progression of the disease.

Cheap Therapies Coming Soon

Mankind Pharma has introduced its antiviral Molulife (200 mg) in Delhi and certain other parts in partnership with BDR Pharmaceuticals.

It is the cheapest version of the drug at Rs 35 per capsule.

Sun Pharma is making its ‘Molxvir’ available in markets where there are more cases and eventually across the country at a price of around Rs 1,500 for the full course.

Cipla will introduce the drug under the Cipmolnu brand name which it will make available in leading pharmacies and Covid treatment centres across the country in the near future.

Course Of Treatment

It is to be used for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in adults and for those who are at a high risk for progression to severe disease, including hospitalisation or death.

The recommended dose of the medicine is 800 mg twice a day for five days- four times in the morning and four times at night.

Since the companies will sell 200 mg capsules, a patient will need to swallow 40 of them during the course of the treatment.

Who Should Avoid It?

It should not be used for patients less than 18 years of age and for those who require immediate hospitalisation due to the virus.

However, it can be continued in patients if the treatment was initiated before hospitalisation.

It is also not authorized to be used for more than five consecutive days.