Molnupiravir can be supplied on the day of approval

CEO of MSD Korea, Kevin Peters said,

Kevin Peters CEO "Needs a lot of options to overcome the pandemic

MSD is trying to contribute a lot to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Molnupiravir is fully prepared to be supplied on the same day as soon as it is approved.

 

Kevin Peters, CEO of MSD Korea, made the remarks at a press conference held on the 16th.

 

MSD developed the COVID-19 treatment Molnupiravir last year and received the U.S.

 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) EUA in December of that year.

 

This is the second COVID-19 treatment after Pfizer's Paxlovid.

 

13 countries, including the UK, Japan, Australia and Taiwan, approved the use of Molnupiravir.

 

The WHO has included Molnupiravir as a treatment option in the revised COVID-19 treatment guidelines.

 

In November last year, MSD also applied for EUA of Molnupiravir to the MFDS.

 

However, it has not been approved even after about three months.

 

This is in contrast to the approval of Paxlovid, which filed an application at the same time, in about a month.

 

Some point out that Molnupiravir's effectiveness fell short of expectations as a result of clinical trials.

 

In phase 2/3 conducted by MSD, Molnupiravir reduced hospitalization and death risk by about 30%.

 

Paxlovid had up to 89% effect in its own clinical practice.

 

For this reason, the FDA advisory committee also considered whether to approve Molnupiravir.

 

Although they managed to recommend approval, 10 people, or 40%, opposed it.

 

Regarding the progress of approval of Molnupiravir, CEO Peters said, "I think both vaccines and treatments should provide as many options as possible to effectively overcome the pandemic." Molnupiravir is used in many countries around the world, contributing a lot to treatment, he said.

 

He then said, "MSD is cooperating as much as possible so that Molnupiravir can be used quickly," adding, "What I can promise is that it can be supplied immediately as soon as approval is given.

 

We are fully prepared to supply it from the day of approval."