Indonesia approves Merck’s COVID-19 pill for emergency use

FILE PHOTO: An experimental COVID-19 treatment pill called molnupiravir being developed by Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, is seen in this undated handout photo released by Merck & Co Inc and obtained by Reuters May 17, 2021. Merck & Co Inc/Handout via REUTERS

JAKARTA — Indonesia has approved Merck & Co Inc’s COVID-19 antiviral pill molnupiravir for emergency use, the country’s food and drug agency said in a statement.

A batch of 400,000 pills had arrived in Indonesia, health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said this week. The pill was jointly developed by U.S.-based Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

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