Dr Reddy's Molflu for Covid treatment at Rs 35 per capsule

Hyderabad, Jan 4:  Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Tuesday 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.

The total course of 40 capsules over 5 days will cost Rs 1,400, the Hyderabad-based company said.

A company spokesperson said that it is launching the most affordably-priced Molnupiravir capsules 200mg under its brand name Molflu across India.

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.