Molnupiravir more effective against Omicron, claims new study

Representative image: Reuters

A new study has said that a 5-day course of Molnupiravir could reduce deaths and prove effective and safe at relatively lower costs, in adults and non-pregnant COVID-19 unvaccinated patients at increased risk of severity or needing hospitalization.

The study also said that the drug, as compared to others, may be more effective against the Omicron variant.

Molnupiravir is a new oral antiviral drug that has recently received emergency use authorization in several countries including India but it has not been included in the national COVID-19 treatment protocol yet.

Several drug companies in India are producing the generic version of the drug, originally developed by Merck and Ridgeback.

Even after the regulatory approval to the drug and its subsequent launch in the country, Indian Council for Medical Research director general Dr Balram Bhargava had even questioned its safety, saying that it needs to be assessed further before being used rampantly.

The latest study, led by Dr Anoop Misra, executive chairman and Director, diabetes and endocrinology, Fortis C-DOC, and conducted jointly by G. D Hospital & Diabetes Institute, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College & Hospital, Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes & Allied Sciences, National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation and Diabetes Foundation, however, has claimed benefits of the drug.

Published in the journal, Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, the final results of the study revealed that usage of the drug showed a significant reduction in composite risk of hospitalization or death.

The findings are based on the published results of phase 3 randomized study in 1433 non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Additional data available in public domain between October 15, 2021 and January 5, 2022 and prescribing information of the drug and data presented at the FDA meeting held on November 30, 2021 was also accessed, while conducting the study.

“A 5-day course of Molnupiravir in adults and non-pregnant unvaccinated COVID-19 patients appears to be effective and safe to prevent further disease progression and hospitalization requirement,” it said.

“From the available evidence, Molnupiravir appears to be a reasonably useful drug in reducing deaths and hospitalization in adult patients with COVID-19 having high risk, with a relatively lower cost,” said Misra.

Molnupiravir could be a useful drug in non-pregnant unvaccinated adults with COVID-19 who are at increased risk of severity including hospitalization, he also said, adding that these findings are very important in the context of India as the drug can be used in outpatient settings and is also effective against the Omicron variant compared to other drugs.

“However, it is effective only when used within 5-days of onset of symptoms. Inappropriate use of the drug in too many individuals without assessing risk may pose an unknown long-term risk of public concern,” Misra said.