A path from synthesis to emergency use authorization of molnupiravir as a COVID-19 therapy

Coronaviruses are a group of enveloped viruses with non-segmented, single-stranded, and positive-sense RNA genomes. It belongs to the 'Coronaviridae family', responsible for various diseases, including the common cold, SARS, and MERS. The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March 2020, has affected 209 countries, infected over a million people, and claimed over 50,000 lives. Significant efforts have been made by repurposing several approved drugs including antiviral, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Molnupiravir is found to be the first orally acting efficacious drug to treat COVID-19 cases. It was approved for medical use in the UK in November 2021 and other countries, including USFDA, which granted approval an emergency use authorization (EUA) for treating adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. Considering the importance of molnupiravir, the present review deals with its various synthetic strategies, pharmacokinetics, bio-efficacy, toxicity, and safety profiles. The comprehensive information along with critical analysis will be very handy for a wide range of audience including medicinal chemists in the arena of antiviral drug discovery especially anti-viral drugs against any variant of COVID-19.