S Korea-oral pill

▲ The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

S Korea-oral pill

S. Korea reviewing emergency authorization of Merck's COVID-19 pill

SEOUL, March 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's drug safety agency said Saturday that it began reviewing emergency authorization of U.S. drug giant Merck & Co.'s oral drug to treat COVID-19 amid a resurgence in cases.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it is "carefully reviewing" the authorization of Molnupiravir for high-risk patients with mild to moderate symptoms who cannot take Paxlovid or Remdesivir for coronavirus treatment.

"We cannot say whether or when it (Molnupiravir) will be authorized," the agency added.

South Korea has signed a prepurchase contract with MSD and so far secured Molnupiravir for 242,000 people.

The move comes as the fast spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant has sharply pushed up the virus curve in recent weeks, with the numbers hitting six digits in mid-February from four digits in late January.

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