U.S. looking to broaden access to COVID-19 antiviral pills - WSJ
Reuters
Published Nov 19, 2021 10:59AM ET
(Reuters) - The Biden administration is looking at ways to broaden access to potential COVID-19 antiviral pills when supply increases in the coming months, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing a person familiar with the plans.
The administration is reviewing whether Paxlovid, the antiviral from Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE), can be available on the commercial market in retail pharmacies if it gets regulatory clearance, the Journal reported.
Molnupiravir, an oral pill from Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP that is also under regulatory review, may be included in the government's plan to make it commercially available, the journal reported, citing the person.
The United States has agreed to buy 10 million courses of Pfizer's drug and has so far secured 3.1 million courses of Merck's pill. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reviewing applications for emergency use authorization of the drugs.
Pfizer pointed to its supply deal with the U.S. government announced on Thursday, in response to a Reuters request for comment. Merck and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not immediately respond.
Both drugs are viewed as promising weapons in the fight against the public health crisis, with countries scrambling to secure supply deals after promising data reported by the companies.
The U.S. government is pushing the drugmakers to boost production, the report said, adding that commercial sales could occur when supply of the pills increases.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.