MSN Lab starts Phase 3 trials for Molnupiravir drug treating mild Covid-19 patients

Getting clearance from the Drug Controller of India for conducting the clinical trial, MSN Laboratories announced that they start with the Phase 3 clinical trial of the molnupiravir capsule. This drug will be used to treat mild-to-moderate covid-19 patients.

The company will soon start the clinical trial at more than 40 sites across India. The trial will be done on more than 2400 patients suffering from mild to moderate covid-19. After Natco Pharma and Hetero Labs, MSN will be the third firm to start the trial for the drug. Both Natco and Hetero trials are underway.

The drug Molnupiravir, which was initially developed by US-based Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is an experimental drug whose study is undergoing the Covid-19 treatment globally. Ridgeback partnered with Merck & Co. for further development. Merck has signed voluntary licensing agreements with Cipla Ltd, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hetero Labs Ltd, and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, allowing the drug to be manufactured and marketed in India.

Merck Sharp & Dohme is also conducting the same phase 3 trials for the treatment of confirmed Covid-19 patients but is not hospitalized. MSN is not a part of the voluntary licensing agreement and is also not related to Merck Sharp and Natco. But they are nevertheless going ahead with their trials.

The company said its research and development team has developed both the active pharmaceutical ingredient and formulation for the drug and is expecting to launch soon after the successful conclusion of the clinical study followed by regulatory approval.