MOLNARZ contains the active substance molnupiravir. MOLNARZ is an antiviral medicine used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 (caused by SARS-CoV-2) in adults who are not on oxygen and not at risk for developing severe illness. Your healthcare provider has recommended or given you MOLNARZ for the treatment of COVID-19. MOLNARZ may help people with COVID-19 stay out of the hospital and feel better.
1. What MOLNARZ is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you use MOLNARZ
Do not take MOLNARZ:
- if you are allergic to molnupiravir or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking molnupiravir.
Children and adolescents
Do not give this medicine to children and adolescents aged less than 18 years. The use of MOLNARZ in persons aged less than 18 years has not yet been studied.
Other medicines and MOLNARZ:
Always tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other medicine. (This includes all complementary or traditional medicines).
MOLNARZ should not interfere with other medicines that you may be taking. However, some medicines may affect how MOLNARZ works, or MOLNARZ may affect how your other medicines work.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility
If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice. If you can become pregnant, you should use effective birth control while you are taking MOLNARZ and for 4 days after the last dose of MOLNARZ. Animal studies with molnupiravir have shown harmful effects to the unborn animal. MOLNARZ is not recommended in pregnancy. MOLNARZ has not been studied in pregnancy and it is not known if MOLNARZ will harm your baby while you are pregnant. If you are breastfeeding or are planning to breastfeed, tell your doctor before taking this medicine. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment and for 4 days after the last dose of MOLNARZ. This is because it is not known if MOLNARZ gets into breast milk and will be passed to the baby.
Driving and using machines
No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. Some patients have reported dizziness, during treatment with MOLNARZ. if you experience this effect, do not drive or use machines until the effect wears off (see section 4, possible side effects).
3. How to take MOLNARZ
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. You should start MOLNARZ within 5 days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
How much to take
The recommended dose of MOLNARZ is four 200 mg capsules, every 12 hours for 5 days.
How to take
- Swallow the capsule whole with plenty of fluid (for instance a glass of water)
- Do not open, break, or crush the capsules.
- This medicine can be taken with or without food.
Your doctor will tell you how long your treatment with MOLNARZ will last. Do not stop any treatment unless your doctor tells you to do so.
If you have the impression that the effect of MOLNARZ is too strong or too weak, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take more MOLNARZ than you should
If you take more MOLNARZ than you should, contact your doctor straight away.
If you forget to take MOLNARZ
- It is important that you do not miss or skip doses of this medicine.
- If you forget to take a dose within 10 hours of the time it is usually taken, you should take it as soon as possible and take the next one at the usual time.
- If you forget to take a dose by more than 10 hours, you should not take the missed dose and instead take the next one at the usual time.
- Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed does.
- If you are not sure what to do, call your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not stop taking MOLNARZ without talking to your doctor first. This will give the medicine the best chance to keep you from becoming severely ill from COVID-19.
4. Possible side effects
MOLNARZ can have side effects. Not all side effects reported for MOLNARZ are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking MOLNARZ, please consult your healthcare provider for advice.
If any of the following happens, stop taking MOLNARZ and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital:
- Swelling of your hands, feet, ankles, face, lips, mouth or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
- Skin rash or itching.
- Fainting.
- Yellowing of your skin and eyes (also called jaundice).
These are all very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious reaction to MOLNARZ. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
Frequent side effects:
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Feeling dizzy
- Headache
These are all serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. The below side effects occur less frequently:
- Vomiting
- Rash
- Hives
If you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, inform your doctor or pharmacist.
Reporting of side effects
If you get side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. You can also report side effects to SAHPRA via the “6.04 Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Form”, found online under SAHPRA’s publications: https://www.sahpra.org.za/Publications/Index/8. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of MOLNARZ.
5. How to store MOLNARZ
STORE ALL MEDICINES OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. Store at or below 30 °C. Protect from moisture. Store in the original container. Keep tightly closed. Keep the container in the outer carton. Do not store in a bathroom. Do not use after the expiry date stated on the label. Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist. Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains or sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).