Countries all across the Asia-Pacific region are galloping to place orders for the latest armament which can help in battling the deadly Coronavirus, an antiviral pill that has not yet been approved for use, termed as Molnupiravir and manufactured by US pharmaceutical company Merck. The pill is being deemed as a potential game-changer in the event of a pandemic, especially for the individuals who are unable to get vaccinated. As of now, at least eight countries or territories in the Asia-Pacific area have signed agreements or are in the process of doing so to obtain the drug. New Zealand, Australia, and South Korea are among these countries. Merck is seeking an emergency use authorization for the drug from the US Food and Drug Administration. If approved, the capsule will be the first antiviral treatment against Covid-19 that is used orally.
Jyoti Prakash Sahoo*
Dept. of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha (751 003), India
Sudhanya Nath
Dept. of Animal Nutrition, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal (700 037), India
Kailash Chandra Samal
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