On Oct. 11, 2021, Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced that Merck had submitted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for molnupiravir, an investigational oral antiviral medicine, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults who are at risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.

The companies were actively working with regulatory agencies worldwide to submit applications for emergency use or marketing authorization.