Merck Teams Up With Five Indian Generic Players To Expand COVID-19 Drug Access, Production

  • Merck & Co Inc MRK has partnered with five Indian generic drugmakers to expand production and access to Molnupiravir, its experimental oral therapeutic for the treatment of COVID-19.
  • A part of these non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements includes Cipla Ltd, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries LimitedDr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd RDYEmcure Pharmaceuticals Limitedand Hetero Labs Limited.
  • The partnership will give the companies license to supply Merck's molnupiravir to India and more than 100 low-and middle-income countries following approvals or emergency authorization by local regulatory agencies.
  • Gilead Sciences Inc GILD also came forward to support India amid surging COVID-19 cases. It would give India at least 450,000 vials of its antiviral drug, remdesivir, and help boost production in India.
  • Molnupiravir is an antiviral therapy Merck is developing with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to treat non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
  • Last month the companies announced interim Phase 2 data, demonstrating a significant reduction in the infectious virus in COVID-19 patients after five days of treatment.
  • Price Action: MRK shares are down 0.09% at $77.53 in premarket trading on the last check Tuesday.
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