MSN Laboratories, a leading integrated pharmaceutical company, has announced that it is now initiating phase III clinical trial of molnupiravir capsules for the treatment of Covid-19 in India.

The Hyderabad-based company has received clinical trial approval on May 19, 2021 from Drug Controller General of India to perform molnupiravir capsules efficacy and safety study on mild to moderate Covid-19 patients. MSN will start its clinical trials in more than 40 sites across India and the first dosing is expected to begin soon. The clinical trials will be performed on more than 2,400 subjects suffering from mild to moderate Covid-19.

Molnupiravir is an experimental drug having antiviral properties and is currently under clinical stage study for Covid treatment. MSN R&D team has developed both the API and formulation, is expecting to launch soon after successful conclusion of clinical study followed by regulatory approval.

As part of the Covid treatment range, MSN has already launched Favilow (favipiravir) in the strengths of 200mg, 400mg & 800mg, Oselow (oseltamivir) as 75 mg capsules and licensed Baridoz (baricitinib) recently from Eli Lilly.