Five-day course of Molnupiravir effective and safe for non-pregnant and unvaccinated COVID-19 adult patients: Study

A recent study has revealed that a five-day course of Molnupiravir could reduce deaths and prove effective and safe at relatively lower costs, in adults and non-pregnant COVID-19 unvaccinated patients at increased risk of severity or needing hospitalisation. The study was conceived by Fortis C-DOC, and conducted jointly by G D Hospital and Diabetes Institute, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation and Diabetes Foundation. Published in the journal Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, the final results of the study revealed that usage of the drug showed a significant reduction in composite risk of hospitalisation or death, Fortis informed in a statement.

The study objective was to update the recently conducted review of Molnupiravir and to provide practical tips and guidelines for using the drug for COVID-19 patients by raising a few relevant, contemporary questions. Additionally, the evaluation of the effectiveness of Molnupiravir compared to other drugs having Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for COVID-19 was also done.

It also said that the methodology followed was to assess the efficacy and safety of Molnupiravir by studying published results of a phase-III randomised study in 1,433 non-hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Additional data available in the public domain between 15th October, 2021 and 5th January, 2022, and prescribing information of the drug and data presented at the FDA AMDAC meeting held on 30th November, 2021 was also accessed, while conducting the study, the statement further informed.

According to the key findings mentioned in the statement, a five-day course of Molnupiravir in adults and non-pregnant unvaccinated COVID-19 patients appears to be effective and safe to prevent further disease progression and hospitalisation requirement. The effectiveness of Molnupiravir is competitive to three monoclonal antibodies, remdesivir and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, with a relatively lower cost. Further, no scope of treatment with Molnupiravir was found in cases when treatment was initiated after hospitalisation due to COVID-19, and it is not authorised for use in patients less than 18 years of age.