UK clears Anti-Covid pill for use

First country in the world to do so

The UK yesterday approved an antiviral pill produced by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the first country to have done so far. Some other countries in Europe, and the US are expected to approve the pill sooner or later.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is reported to have recommended that ‘Molnupiravir, the antiviral pill, be used following a positive COVID-19 test and within five days of the onset of symptoms.

US health experts are expected to meet this month to take a final decision on Molnupiravir, which is to be branded Lagevrio in Britain. The pill has been found to be capable of halving the chances of fatality and hospitalization, if administered during the early stages of Covid-19.

Britain National Health Service is scheduled to prescribe how the treatment should be deployed soon.

The UK has already struck a deal with Merck to obtain 480,000 courses of Molnupiravir, according to media reports.

Merck has said in a statement that it expects to produce 10 million courses of the treatment by the end of this year, with at least 20 million set to be manufactured in 2022.

Following approval given by the UK for Monupiravir, Merck’s shares rose by 2.1% from $90.54.