US giant Merck allows generic manufacture of its new medicine for Covid, 5 Indian firms in list

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American pharmaceuticals giant Merck & Co has signed a licensing agreement with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) that will allow more companies to manufacture generic versions of its oral antiviral COVID-19 medicine, the company announced on Wednesday.</p>
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Merck said the royalty-free license would apply to 105 low- and middle-income countries. It allows manufacturers selected by MPP to make generic versions of molnupiravir, the antiviral pill Merck has developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.</p>
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering emergency use authorization of the medicine, which proved in a clinical trial that it could reduce by 50% the risk of serious disease and death when given early COVID-19 patients.</p>
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"This is the first transparent, public health-driven voluntary license for a COVID-19 medical technology," Merck and MPP said in a joint statement.</p>
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Companies will be able to apply for a sub-license from MPP and the license, which also includes technology transfer, will remain royalty-free so long as the World Health Organization classifies the pandemic as a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern," the statement said.</p>
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Merck & Co had announced in April that it has signed an agreement to partner five Indian generic drugmakers, including Cipla Ltd and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd , to expand production and marketing of its experimental COVID-19 drug. The three other companies are Dr.Reddy's Laboratories Ltd  and privately held companies Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Hetero Labs Ltd.</p>
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The partnership will give the companies license to supply Merck's molnupiravir to India and more than 100 low and middle-income countries following approvals or emergency authorization by local regulatory agencies, Merck said.</p>