Singapore Becomes Latest Asian Country to Sign Merck Deal for Oral COVID-19 Pill

October 6th, 2021 – Earlier today, Merck announced a supply and purchase agreement that will provide Singapore with access to its experimental oral COVID-19 antiviral drug, molnupiravir. With this, Singapore has become the latest Asian country to seek the pill.

Last week, Merck announced positive Phase 3 trial results of molnupiravir, claiming that a five-day course of the drug significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization or death in non-hospitalized adult patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 by approximately 50%.

The results were hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against the pandemic as an oral antiviral could significantly cut transmission rates by minimizing healthcare center visits.

Since then, several countries have rushed to sign agreements with Merck and obtain the oral COVID-19 pill. On October 4th, Thailand’s government was reported to be in talks to buy 200,000 courses of molnupiravir. Yesterday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia would buy 300,000 courses. Additionally, South Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia are also in talks with Merck to buy the drug.

Currently, Merck expects to produce close to 10 million courses of molnupiravir by the end of 2021 and further increase this number in 2022. It has signed a $1.2 billion worth supply agreement with the US government to provide 1.7 million courses of the drug once it obtains an emergency use authorization.

Molnupiravir (MK-4482) is an oral broad-spectrum NHC-prodrug (Beta-D-N⁴ hydroxycytidine-5’-isopropyl ester), a highly potent ribonucleoside analog designed to inhibit replication of multiple RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV2.

The drug has been shown to be active in several preclinical models of SARS-CoV-2, including for prophylaxis, treatment, and prevention of transmission. Additionally, preclinical and clinical data have shown molnupiravir to be active against the most common SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Although Singapore has vaccinated more than 80% of its population against COVID-19, yesterday, it reported around 3,486 new cases, its biggest outbreak so far. Singapore’s health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the Merck agreement, Reuters reported.

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Author

Rajaneesh K. Gopinath