THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
October 5, 2021 at 13:50 JST
The experimental oral antiviral drug molnupiravir is in the final stage of clinical testing. (Provided by Merck & Co.)
Japan has entered negotiations with U.S. pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. for special approval and procurement this year of its oral antiviral drug for COVID-19 patients.
Merck has conducted interim clinical trials of its oral medicine, molnupiravir, and will soon seek approval for its emergency use in the United States.
Global demand for the medicine is expected to soar, so the Japanese government plans to secure an adequate supply early through talks with the drugmaker.
Molnupiravir is designed for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms to prevent their conditions from worsening.
Patients need to take molnupiravir every 12 hours over five days for 10 times in total, according to the company.
The only drugs approved in Japan for patients with mild symptoms are sotrovimab and antibody cocktail Ronapreve, which are both administered through intravenous drips.
Oral drugs are expected to be in high demand because they are relatively easy to take.
Merck on Oct. 1, citing mid-term reports on clinical tests conducted in Japan and elsewhere, said molnupiravir can halve the risk of hospitalization or death among patients with mild or moderate symptoms.
Merck plans to soon apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use authorization of molnupiravir. The company will also apply to the Japanese health ministry for approval of the drug’s manufacture and sales in Japan.
The U.S. government in June signed a contract to buy 1.7 million doses of molnupiravir for $1.2 billion if the company completes the development of the drug.
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