A Bangladeshi drugmaker will soon begin selling the world's first generic version of Merck's Covid-19 pill, molnupiravir, which has been touted as a potential game-changer in the fight against the pandemic, reports Reuters.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals will first sell generic molnupiravir in Bangladesh before considering exports based on global regulatory approvals, it said. The generic version has received emergency use authorisation from Bangladesh's drug regulators.

Generic drugs like Beximco's are less expensive versions of brand-name pharmaceuticals and help expand access to treatments in poorer countries.

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