Laos bolsters molnupiravir production for COVID-19 treatment

A package of Molacovir produced in Laos (Photo: Laotiantimes.com)

Vientiane (VNA) – Laos is to step up production of its antiviral drug molnupiravir with the trade name of Molacovir to serve treatment of COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms.

Dr Lahounh Chanthabout, Managing Director of State Enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3 – the medicine manufacturer in Laos, said demand for the medication is to triple this year, Vientiane Times reports.

The factory, which began producing the drug in December last year, has been unable to meet demand because of the increase in the number of COVID-19 patients.

The factory is selling Molacovir at 400,000 LAK (36 USD) for one course of treatment, which lasts for five days.

The drug pilot programme is targeting people aged 18 and over who have mild or moderate symptoms of COVID-19 and are in the early stages of the disease. To qualify for treatment, patients must not show signs of pneumonia or oxygen shortage.

Laos recorded 805 new COVID-19 cases and seven fatalities across the country in the past 24 hours, announced the country’s Ministry of Health on January 13.

The national count reached 122,241, with 471 deaths./.

VNA