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KENILWORTH, N.J., July 9, 2021 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, affirmed its commitment to enabling global access to molnupiravir through its voluntary license agreements and ongoing clinical program. As previously announced, Merck has entered into voluntary license agreements for molnupiravir with established Indian generics manufacturers.Merck has entered into these agreements to accelerate availability of molnupiravir in India and in other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) following approvals or emergency authorization by local regulatory agencies. Molnupiravir is an investigational oral antiviral agent currently being studied in a Phase 3 trial for the treatment of non-hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19. Merck is developing molnupiravir in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.
One of these generics manufacturers, Hetero, has announced that it has accumulated positive data from an open label clinical study of molnupiravir and has submitted these data to the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). Merck is encouraged by these promising data and looks forward to continuing to work with Hetero and other generics manufacturers that Merck has agreements with as they conduct studies of generic versions of investigational molnupiravir. Merck, in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is conducting an ongoing randomized placebo-controlled phase 2/3 clinical trial of molnupiravir in non-hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 at more than 100 sites worldwide. For more information on this clinical trial visit https://merckcovidresearch.com. Merck has a long track record of making our medicines and vaccines accessible and affordable globally, and we remain committed to doing the same for molnupiravir. These voluntary license agreements are part of this commitment.
About Molnupiravir
Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801/MK-4482) is an investigational, orally bioavailable form of a potent ribonucleoside analog that inhibits the replication of multiple RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. Molnupiravir has been shown to be active in several models of SARS-CoV-2, including for prophylaxis, treatment, and prevention of transmission, as well as SARS-CoV-1 and MERS. EIDD-2801 was invented at Drug Innovations at Emory (DRIVE), LLC, a not-for-profit biotechnology company wholly owned by Emory University and is being developed by Merck & Co., Inc. in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Since licensed by Ridgeback, all funds used for the development of EIDD-2801/MK-4482 have been provided by Wayne and Wendy Holman and Merck.
About Merck
For 130 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
