Bengaluru firm Strides Pharma Science to launch oral drug to fight Covid

BENGALURU: Bengaluru pharma company Strides Pharma Science Limited said that it has received Emergency Use Authorisation from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to launch Molnupiravir, an oral medication for Covid-19 in India.

In a statement, Strides said it will “immediately launch” its generic Molnupiravir, indicated for high-risk adult patients with Covid under the brand Stripiravir. The company is commercialising the product with a group-integrated supply chain for active pharmaceutical ingredients and solid oral dosage from its large-scale WHO pre-qualified manufacturing capacities, the company stated.

“We are delighted to receive the DCGI approval for launching Molnupiravir, which has shown promising results in several clinical studies. It provides benefit to patients with mild-to-moderate Covid symptoms,” Strides Managing Director and CEO R Ananthanarayanan said. 

Bigger & better basket

India’s basket of vaccines cleared for restricted emergency use just got bigger. A look

Approved

1.  Covovax: Nanoparticle vaccine by Serum Institute of India
2.  Corbevax: India’s first indigenously developed RBD protein sub-unit vaccine by Biological E
3.  Molnupiravir: 200 mg anti-Covid pill to be manufactured by 13 pharma firms, including Sun Pharma, Cipla, Hetero, Dr Reddy’s and Torrent

Already cleared
Covishield (Serum Institute) Covaxin (Bharat Biotech) ZyCoV-D (Zydus Cadila) Sputnik V (Russia) Moderna (US), Johnson and Johnson (US)

Yellow alert in Delhi

Level 1 or yellow alert for Covid restrictions imposed from Tuesday due to rise in cases

All educational institutions to be shut; wedding, funeral gatherings restricted to 20 people. Marriage functions to be only allowed in court or at homes

Night curfew advanced to 10 pm from 11 pm; will end at 5 am 

Total ban on cinemas, auditoriums, spas, Yoga centres, gyms and entertainment parks

Seating capacity in Delhi Metro, buses cut by 50%