6 million Molnupiravir pills to fight Covid being delivered in April
THE NATION
The first shipment of 6 million pills of the antiviral Covid-19 medicine Molnupiravir will arrive this month, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) said on Thursday.
The GPO has placed an order for 20 million pills.
GPO director Dr Withoon Danwiboon said the rest of the order would be gradually shipped to Thailand.
The medicine is developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.Studies showed it could be used to treat patients infected with the Omicron strain, who do not have severe symptoms.
Withoon said the GPO is still studying the medicine’s bioequivalence in a first step to make the drug in the country. He said the GPO expects to get permission to make the medicine within this year.
He said Molnupiravir has the same price as Favipiravir, but Molnupiravir cannot be used to treat patients who are younger than 18.
He said once the GPO is capable of making Molnupiravir, its price will go down.
