Aurobindo Pharma gets DCGI approval to manufacture and market generic version of molnupiravir; share trades flat

On Tuesday, post the market hours, Aurobindo Pharma announced the receipt of the DCGI’s (Drugs Controller General of India) permission to manufacture and distribute its in-licensed generic version of MSD (a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc, Kenilworth, NJ, USA) and Ridgeback’s Molnupiravir, to be marketed as Molnaflu®.

Previously, Aurobindo had signed a non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Merck Sharpe Dohme, Singapore (MSD), a subsidiary of Merck & Co. (US) to manufacture and supply Molnupiravir to over 100 low and middle-income countries (LMIC), including India. Molnupiravir qualifies as the first oral antiviral approved by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (UKMHRA) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID -19 in adults. 

Molnupiravir has been recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and under Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA). The product will be manufactured at the company’s manufacturing facilities in India that are approved by global regulatory agencies including USFDA and UKMHRA. The company bears adequate capacities to meet the global demand across the 100 plus LMIC for the product.

Aurobindo Pharma Limited is an integrated global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Hyderabad, India. The company develops, manufactures, and commercializes a wide range of generic pharmaceuticals, branded speciality pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients globally in over 155 countries.

On Wednesday, the share of Aurobindo Pharma is trading at Rs 728.50 per share, which is 0.45 per cent up on BSE. The stock has plunged 21.16 per cent on a YTD basis whereas in the last one month it has gained 11.68 per cent.