On Apr. 27, 2021, Merck announced the company had entered into non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements for molnupiravir with five established Indian generics manufacturers. Molnupiravir is an investigational oral antiviral agent being studied in a Phase 3 trial for the treatment of non-hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19.

Merck is developing molnupiravir in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Merck has entered into these agreements to accelerate availability of molnupiravir in India and in other low- and middle-income countries following approvals or emergency authorization by local regulatory agencies.