MANILA - Oral antiviral pill Molnupiravir, which is applying for emergency use in the United States for treating COVID-19, may soon be available in the Philippines, companies seeking to distribute it said on Tuesday.

Merck, which developed Molnupiravir, said on Monday it has applied for US emergency use authorization for its drug to treat mild-to-moderate patients of COVID-19. This would put it on course to become the first oral antiviral medication for the disease.

Philippine pharmaceutical firm Faberco Life Sciences said it was appointed to distribute Molnupiravir in the Philippines by one of Merck's manufacturing licensees.

Faberco said it has also partnered with RiteMed Philippines for the latter to distribute the anti-COVID oral drug to hospitals, medical institutions, and treatment sites once the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration grants the experimental drug compassionate special permits.

“We are confident that through the distribution channels of RiteMed, Molnupiravir will reach healthcare facilities throughout the country faster, giving more Filipinos access to this lifesaving drug the soonest possible time,” said Kishore Hemlani, Founder of Faberco.

The initial batches of Molnupiravir could be available in the Philippines by next month, subject to regulatory approvals, Faberco said.

"This partnership with Faberco puts RiteMed in a good position to help more Filipinos survive the pandemic and is aligned with our mission to provide access to essential medicines by partnering with like-minded doctors and healthcare facilities,” Atty. Jose Maria A. Ochave, President of RiteMed, said.

Molnupiravir cut the rate of hospitalization and death by 50 percent in a trial of mild-to-moderately ill patients who had at least one risk factor for the disease, according to data released earlier this month, according to a Reuters report.

Mulnopiravir should be effective against the different variants of COVID-19, Merck has said, as it does not target the spike protein of the virus but the enzyme needed for the virus to make copies of itself.

• Merck says research shows its COVID-19 pill works against variants

An authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration could help change clinical management of COVID-19 as the pill can be taken at home.

Two government hospitals in the Philippines, including the Lung Center of the Philippines, were involved in the phase 3 global trials of Mulnopiravir.

• Lung Center part of Phase 3 clinical trial for Molnupiravir vs COVID-19

Faberco said it will import Molnupiravir for hospitals and healthcare facilities given a CSP for Molnupiravir by the FDA for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID.

The interim efficacy data on the drug set off a scramble among nations, including Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore, to sign a supply deal with Merck.

Merck also has a US government contract to supply 1.7 million courses at a price of $700 per course. Merck expects to produce 10 million courses of the treatment by the end of 2021.

- With a report from Reuters

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