MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2022) The Russian Health Ministry has registered Molnupiravir, a medication used to treat COVID-19, according to the ministry's registry updated on Thursday.
"date of state registration: 02/03/2022. Trade name: ESPERAVIR. International non-proprietary name: molnupiravir," the registry said.
The full-cycle production of the antiviral pill, to be sold under the brand name Esperavir, will begin next week at a plant owned by Moscow-based pharma firm Promomed, the board of directors' chairman told Sputnik. The factory is located in the city of Saransk, some 400 miles southeast of Moscow.
"The production will begin seven days after it is granted a registration certificate," Pyotr Bely said.
The COVID-19 treatment will target a key component in the virus's replication machinery, Bely explained. This will help slow down COVID-19 mutation process and buy time for medical professionals to respond by suppressing its replication.
"All groups of people can use this medicine. The key to a direct-acting therapy is to start early. Absolutely all early-treated patients, with or without comorbidities, will be guaranteed the best possible course of the disease and its outcome," Bely said.
Molnupiravir will reduce the risk of hospitalization and severe disease, Bely continued. Clinical trials showed the SARS-CoV-2 elimination reached 100% in 80% of patients five days into the treatment, with 40% of patients, including at-risk ones, making a full recovery.
