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Molnupiravir capsules: National approval granted
Photo: HANDOUT / AFP
Shortly before the end of his service life, Jens Spahn can report one more success.
He signed a supply contract for the Covid drug Molnupiravir with the US pharmaceutical company Merck.
As a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Health announced to the »Handelsblatt«, Germany will receive 80,000 units of the drug, which contains the active ingredient Lagevrio, in the coming months.
The first deliveries are planned for December.
Molnupiravir has not yet been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
According to Spahn, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) has issued a national permit "based on the data presented".
"In addition to vaccines, our aim is to secure promising drugs against Covid-19 for Germany at an early stage."
The US is also striking
The US government had previously secured a total of 3.1 million Lagevrio units in several steps.
A few days ago, a panel of experts from the US drug agency FDA spoke out in favor of approval of the corona drug.
The FDA is now expected to grant emergency approval for the drug soon.
The antiviral drug reduces the ability of the coronavirus to multiply in the body's cells and thus slows down the further development of Covid-19.
The pills have the advantage of being easy to take at home.
On the other hand, other drugs, such as the antiviral drug Remdesivir, must be administered intravenously.
Merck presented the results of a clinical study on Friday that found molnupiravir to be less effective than previously stated.
According to the data, the drug lowers the risk of hospitalization or death by 30 percent.
At the beginning of October, based on preliminary figures, the company had spoken of a 50 percent reduction.
Molnupiravir was the first country in the world to be approved in the UK in early November.
There it is sold under the name of Lagevrio.
The EU Medicines Agency (EMA) is currently examining approval and, according to its own information, could issue an opinion "within a few weeks".
mik / AFP