Hyderabad, December 4

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories will launch it’s molnupiravir capsules 200mg under its brand name Molflu across India at ₹35 per capsule

Each strip will contain 10 capsules, and the total course of 40 capsules over 5 days will cost ₹1,400, making it among the ‘most affordable’ treatment option available to patients, the Hyderabad based company said in a statement on Tuesday.

The price of molnupiravir capsules launched last week by Hetero and Optimus Pharma is around ₹63.

Available from next week

Dr Reddy’s Molflu is expected to be available from early next week in pharmacies across the country with particular focus on states with high a 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 across India, and to over 100 low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Pharma collab

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, 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 (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 Covid-19 patients, with SpO2 >93%, 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 secured adequate manufacturing capacity to ensure that it is able to help patients in need.