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Batch of Merck's antiviral drug Molnupiravir arrives in PH via local distributor

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Faberco Life Sciences/Handout" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/11/12/faberco-life-sciences.jpg"/><figcaption><em>Faberco Life Sciences/Handout</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE)</strong> - A shipment of Merck&#x27;s COVID-19 antiviral pill Molnupiravir arrived in the Philippines on Thursday through a local pharmaceutical firm, as the drug awaits regulatory approval in the country. </p><p>Philippine pharmaceutical firm Faberco Life Sciences said it was appointed to distribute Molnupiravir in the Philippines by one of Merck&#x27;s manufacturing licenses. The pill is an investigational drug used for COVID-19 treatment.</p><p>In a statement, Faberco said they chose RiteMed Philippines, Inc. to distribute the investigational drug to private hospitals and medical institutions that have secured a compassionate use permit from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/12/21/ph-firms-seek-to-distribute-mercks-anti-covid-drug">READ: Faberco, RiteMed seek to bring Merck’s anti-COVID drug Molnupiravir to PH</a></li></ul><p>The FDA had earlier granted compassionate use permit for Molnupiravir in 31 Philippine hospitals. </p><p>The drug is not yet commercially available, but Merck, the American firm that developed it, already filed for <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/18/21/merck-applies-for-eua-in-ph-for-antiviral-drug-molnupiravir">emergency use authorization</a> (EUA) in the country last week, the FDA said.</p><p>“We are anticipating the approval from the Philippine FDA in the coming weeks,&quot; Faberco founding member Vinay Panemanglor said. </p><p>Merck&#x27;s Molnupiravir has yet to get approval from US authorities. </p><p>Faberco, though, did not mention how many courses or pills arrived in the country. Earlier reports said the Philippines is expecting to receive some 300,000 courses from different local manufacturers. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/27/21/ph-to-recieve-300000-courses-of-mercks-covid-19-pill">READ: Philippines to receive 300,000 courses of Merck&#x27;s COVID-19 pill</a></li></ul><p>But in a message to ABS-CBN News, Faberco&#x27;s communications head Neil Maristela said the shipment is enough &quot;for now,&quot; noting that there would be more deliveries soon. </p><p>Maristela also refused to disclose the number of courses delivered for the day. </p><p>&quot;Substantial quantities lang for now and [we] assure the public of consistent and continuous arrival of shipments,&quot; the officer said. </p><p>Each pill is estimated to cost P100 to P150 pesos, pharmaceutical firm JackPharma, which will distribute the drug locally, told Reuters. </p><p>Molnupiravir cut the rate of hospitalization and death by 50 percent in a trial of mild-to-moderately ill COVID-19 patients who had at least one risk factor for the disease, according to data released earlier this month cited in a Reuters report.</p><p>The pill would be the world&#x27;s first oral antiviral medication for COVID-19 if it gets regulatory approval.</p><div><strong>— With reports from Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News and Reuters</strong></div><div><strong>WATCH</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1834009" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/27/21/molnupiravir-shipment-to-arrive-in-ph-next-month">Molnupiravir shipment to arrive in PH next month</a></li></ul>

A shipment of Merck's COVID-19 antiviral pill Molnupiravir arrived in the Philippines on Thursday through a local pharmaceutical firm, as the drug awaits regulatory approval in the country.