MSD and Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), have signed a licensing agreement to facilitate affordable access to molnupiravir, a new medicine being tested in clinical trials for treating COVID-19 in adults.

Molnupiravir, an investigational oral antiviral medicine, was reported to reduce the risk of hospitalization in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 by 50% in interim phase III clinical trials. It is currently being evaluated for inclusion into the WHO living guideline on Covid-19 therapeutics and is pending authorization for its use from regulatory bodies. If approved, it will be the first oral medicine for non-hospitalized mild-to-moderate Covid-19 patients.

The MPP/MSD licensing agreement is a positive step towards creating broader access to the treatment as quickly as possible by allowing generic licensees from around the world to prepare supplies and create more affordable versions of the medicine, pending WHO recommendations and other regulatory authorizations.

This will shorten the time from approval of the medicine to its availability in the 105 low- and middle-income countries, including India covered by the licence and where there is no patent infringement and licensed know-how, has not been used. 

In India, MSD has signed non-exclusive licensing agreements with companies such as Dr Reddy’s Emcure, Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Viatirs, Aurobindo Pharma and Hetero Labs.