Asian Tech Press (Mar. 21) -- South Korea will introduce Merck's COVID-19 pill molnupiravir, which is under the brand name Lagevrio, for 100,000 patients this week.

Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol said Monday that the planned introduction of molnupiravir comes amid rising demand for such oral COVID-19 medicine, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The Korean government is carefully considering authorizing molnupiravir for high-risk patients with mild to moderate symptoms who cannot take Pfizer Inc.'s Paxlovid or Gilead Sciences Inc.'s Remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment

"On top of the planned introduction of Paxlovid for 95,000 patients in April, the government is seeking early procurement of additional oral COVID-19 drugs," Jeon noted.