Drug firm Hetero today announced the positive results of Phase III trials of Movfor (molanupiravir), which is an investigational oral antiviral COVID-19 drug. The results showed that molanupiravir with standard of care (SOC) reduced the risk of hospitalization by more than 65 percent compared to SOC alone.
“Early viral clearance (negative RT-PCR) and significant clinical improvement were observed within 5 days of administering the antiviral drug. No casualties were reported during the study, a company statement said.
Hetero works in the field of research and development, manufacturing and marketing of high quality chemical and biological drugs. Under Phase III trials, one of the studies included 1,218 COVID-19 patients (SPO2 > 93 percent and with COVID-19 symptoms as per ICMR COVID-19 guidelines). The study enrolled eligible patients five days after symptom onset, and they were given either SOC alone, or SOC with molnupiravir capsules (800 mg twice daily) for five days.
Hetero had entered into an agreement with MSD in April 2021 for the manufacture and distribution of oral therapeutic antiviral drug ‘molnupiravir’ for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Under the licensing deal, Hetero was allowed to expand the reach of mollupiravir to India and other low and middle income countries (LMICs), following approval for emergency use authorization by local regulatory agencies.
According to the company, molanupiravir is a “discoverable, orally bioavailable form of a potent ribonucleoside analog that inhibits the replication of several RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV2, the causative agent of COVID-19”.
Molnupiravir has been shown to be active in several models of SARS-CoV-2, including for prophylaxis, treatment and prevention of transmission, as well as in SARS-CoV-1 and MERS.
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