Hyderabad offers key inputs for oral Covid drug

Hyderabad: The much-awaited first oral medication for Covid-19 based on Molnupiravir is expected to hit the shelves of drug stores in the coming months. While the oral pill has received lot of attention for its therapeutic promise in reducing hospital stay and death risk among Covid patients, the fact remains that Hyderabad, due to its […]

Hyderabad: The much-awaited first oral medication for Covid-19 based on Molnupiravir is expected to hit the shelves of drug stores in the coming months.

While the oral pill has received lot of attention for its therapeutic promise in reducing hospital stay and death risk among Covid patients, the fact remains that Hyderabad, due to its immense human resource and infrastructure in pharma sector, has played a vital role in research and development of the oral anti-viral.

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There are multiple Hyderabad-based pharma companies who have either completed or in the middle of conducting phase 3 clinical trials of Molnupiravir. In fact, city-based Hetero and Natco Pharma have already approached the regulatory authorities seeking permission to market the drug after completing the third phase of the clinical trials across the country.

Another pharma giant from city Dr Reddy’s is collaborating with US-based Merck and Co, who are the innovators of Molnupiravir, and conducting phase 3 clinical studies while the researchers from Hyderabad-based MSN pharmaceuticals are also conducting phase 3 trials of the drug in more than 40 sites on 2,400 subjects across the country.

A few days ago, Natco and Hetero approached the drug regulator Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), seeking permission to market Molnupiravir. The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the DCGI is expected to take a decision in the coming days, multiple reports said.

In Hyderabad, the oral anti-viral drug also underwent phase 3 clinical trials at several private hospitals, including Yashoda Hospitals. Led by researchers from Natco Pharma and Medical Director, Yashoda Hospitals, Dr Amidalya Lingaiah, the trials were conducted successfully.

“The results of the phase 3 clinical trials of Molnupiravir at Yashoda Hospitals have been very encouraging and hopefully the drug should be available in the coming months. In fact, we are honoured for being chosen as a healthcare facility to conduct such a cutting-edge research,” Dr Lingaiah said.

Apart from clinical trials, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), top chemical research institute from Hyderabad, has transferred manufacturing technology of Molnupiravir by entering into an MoU with Suven Pharmaceuticals and CSIR-National Institute of Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram.

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