Hyderabad-based Optimus Pharma launches anti-COVID pill 'Molcovir'

Hyderabad: City-based Optimus Pharma on Thursday launched its anti-COVID pill under the name 'Molcovir'. This comes days after the firm received permission from CDSO for restricted use under emergency situation for its COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir.

The company said it had received the nod from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct phase III clinical trial for orally administered Molnupiravir capsules on patients with mild COVID-19.

Given the surge in COVID-19 cases, the company felt it was imperative that more oral drugs with potent antiviral activity be introduced. Optimus Pharma internally developed the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and the formulation in capsule form and obtained approval for completing phase III clinical trial.

Speaking on the occasion, Optimus chairman and managing director Dr. D. Srinivasa Reddy said, "We are happy to launch Molnupiravir capsules 200 mg (Molcovir 200) commercially to cater and serve the country considering this emergency situation and unmet medical need. Also, it is ensuring access of this drug based on requirements of business partners/customers."

Optimus is ready to gear up manufacturing of Molnupiravir in India, he said adding that the clinical trial on 1,218 patients has shown promising results. The drug has proved successful in reducing viral load effectively with RT-PCR negativity of 71% among patients in the treatment group on day five as compared to 51.6% in the SoC (controlled) group and 97.3% in the treatment group and 84% in the SoC group on day 10, Dr. Reddy said. Nearly all patients had recovered by day 14 and 28 of the treatment duration, he added.

The trial also revealed promising symptomatic improvement in patients' health and no mortality was observed during the study, he said