The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) in Bangladesh has authorised Eskayef Pharmaceutical Limited as the second pharmaceutical company to locally market molnupiravir, an oral antiviral drug for Covid-19.
Before that, Beximco Pharmaceuticals also received the approval on Monday, said Major General Mahbubur Rahman, Director General of the Department of Drug Administration in a briefing on Tuesday.
According to the DGDA, patients who are infected at mild to medium level can take the medicine which will potentially control complications triggered by Covid-19.
Each tablet will be available at the drug stores at Tk50 which should be taken after consulting with the physicians, Mahbubur Rahman stated.
“This medicine is not an alternative for the Covid-19 vaccine, people must get vaccine as per physician’s consultation”, Mahbubur Rahman said.
The medicine will contribute to reduce the number of deaths and hospitalisations, he added.
Meanwhile, Beximco Pharmaceuticals on Tuesday announced the launch of an oral antiviral drug for the coronavirus disease – recently developed by Merck, Sharp & Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics – as "Emorivir."
Besides, a total of ten medicine companies applied for the approval. Other eight companies are Square, General, Beacon, Renata, Incepta, ACME, Healthcare and Popular pharmaceuticals.
