COVID-19 treatments

Duque calls for emergency use applications for molnupiravir

Loreben Tuquero

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Duque calls for emergency use applications for molnupiravir

MOLNUPIRAVIR. An experimental COVID-19 treatment pill called molnupiravir being developed by Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, is seen in this undated handout photo.

Merck & Co Inc/Handout via REUTERS

Clinical trials of the experimental drug are being conducted in the Lung Center of the Philippines and the Quirino Memorial Medical Center

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III called on pharmaceutical companies to apply for emergency use authorization (EUA) or compassionate special permit for the antiviral drug molnupiravir even before this medicine, touted as effective against COVID-19, becomes commercially available.

Hinihikayat po natin ang mga pharmaceutical healthcare association of the Philippines na tingnan po ito, at kung makapag-apply na proactively ‘no for an EUA, emergency use authorization, or compassionate special permit. So kahit na wala pa iyong gamot, pero kapag naging available na, at least mayroon na kaagad authorization,” Duque said during a briefing on October 4.

(We encourage pharmaceutical healthcare associations of the Philippines to look into this and proactively apply for an EUA or compassionate special permit. So that even if the drug is not available yet, when it becomes available, you’ll already have authorization.)

He advised the same to the pharmaceutical division of the Department of Health.

Molnupiravir, which was developed by Merck & Co, is lauded as being able to halve the chances of dying or being hospitalized for people most vulnerable to contracting severe COVID-19. It would be the first oral antiviral medication for COVID-19 if it gets authorized. 

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According to Merck, the drug is likely to be effective against all known coronavirus variants, since it does not target the spike protein of the virus that differentiates the variants.

Duque said they are monitoring developments on the drug.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire was also asked on October 4 if the government was already in talks to purchase the drug. She cited an ongoing clinical trial being conducted in the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP).

[Makikita] rin ho natin (We can see) that we can have more access to this medicine because we have this clinical trial counterpart. So antayin po natin ang mga, syempre may mga regulatory processes ’yan (So let’s wait, of course there are regulatory processes for that) but definitely if this is a game-changer, and it’s really going to be of benefit to the population, our country, the national government will try to position to have better access to this drug,” she said.

In August, the LCP and the Quirino Memorial Medical Center were looking for patients who can be part of Phase 3 clinical trials of molnupiravir.

Multiple Asian countries, including South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Thailand, are in talks to purchase supplies of the pill. – Rappler.com

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Loreben Tuquero

Loreben Tuquero is a researcher-writer for Rappler. Before transferring to Rappler's Research team, she covered transportation, Quezon City, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government as a reporter. She graduated with a communication degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.