But most importantly, ivermectin is also a low-profit competitor for another new Merck product for COVID-19—a high-cost antiviral drug, molnupiravir, for which Merck had the highest financial ambitions. Ironically, molnupiravir, a copycat formula, utilized an identical mechanism of action as ivermectin.74 That drug will retail at around $700 per course75 but only if Merck can kill its cheap rival.
