Merck has announced a supply and purchase agreement that will provide Singapore with access to its experimental oral Covid-19 antiviral drug, the latest Asian country to try to snap up supplies.

Molnupiravir is designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus and would be the first oral antiviral medication for Covid-19. Merck is seeking approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration for the pill.

Reuters reports that Singapore's health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the Merck agreement.