India's Everest Organics Ltd says it has started making the active pharmaceutical ingredient for a generic version of Merck & Co's experimental antiviral drug molnupiravir to treat mild to moderate Covid-19, Reuters reports.

Merck has separately entered into voluntary licensing agreements with at least eight Indian generic drugmakers for molnupiravir, with an aim to turn the country into a manufacturing hub for the drug.

"After the successful development and commercialisation of various Covid-19 drugs such as Oseltamivir, Remdesivir ... Everest Organics is on its path of expansion of this portfolio," Chief Executive Officer Srikakarlapudi Sirisha said in a statement.