Natco Pharma inks pact with MPP to sell Molnupiravir capsules
Natco said with this licence agreement it can manufacture and sell Molnupiravir capsules 200 mg for Indian market, which will be sold under brand name MOLNUNAT for treatment of COVID-19 infection in patients who have high risk of progression of the disease including hospitalisation or death.
New Delhi: Natco Pharma on Thursday said it has signed a non-exclusive license agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), Switzerland to manufacture and sell Molnupiravir capsules 200 mg for treatment of COVID-19.
MPP had taken licence from Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp (MSD), USA for the same, the company said in a statement.
Natco said with this licence agreement it can manufacture and sell Molnupiravir capsules 200 mg for Indian market, which will be sold under brand name MOLNUNAT for treatment of COVID-19 infection in patients who have high risk of progression of the disease including hospitalisation or death.
It further said, "This agreement allows Natco to expand access to COVID-19 medicines in 105 countries in generic name. Under the license, Natco can set its own price for the generic products it produces, paying a royalty on sales to MSD," the company said in a regulatory filing.
However, MSD, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Emory University will not receive royalties for sales of Molnupiravir under this agreement for as long as COVID-19 remains classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization, it added.
In December last year the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had allowed anti-COVID-19 pill Molnupiravir for emergency use in the country. However, ICMR's National Task Force for COVID-19 had last week decided against including the antiviral drug in the Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 citing safety concerns.
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