KONTAN.CO.ID - BENGALURU. India gave emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Merck's COVID-19 pill molnupiravir, and Serum Institute of India's Covovax and Biological E's Corbevax coronavirus vaccines, the country's health minister said on Twitter. Molnupiravir will be manufactured in India by 13 companies for restricted use under emergency situation for treatment of adult patients with COVID-19, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said. Earlier this year, drugmakers Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals and some others signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with Merck to manufacture and supply molnupiravir in India.
Last week, the U.S. FDA issued an EUA to molnupiravir for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease in adults. Media reports earler in the day said the subject expert committee under the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation recommended allowing EUA for molnupiravir, Covovax and Corbevax. Read Also: Indonesia Says Detects First Locally Transmitted Omicron Case India is working on ramping up oxygen supplies and strengthening health infrastructure to contain a possible surge of COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.