Philippines among 105 nations to get cheaper Merck COVID-19 pill

This file October 18, 2021 handout file photo courtesy of Merck & Co,Inc. shows capsules of the antiviral pill Molnupiravir. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday authorized Merck's COVID-19 pill, Molnupiravir, for high risk adults, a day after a similar pill by Pfizer was given the green light.

Handout / Merck & Co,Inc. / AFP

GENEVA, Switzerland — Generic drug manufacturers will make a more affordable version of Merck's anti-COVID pill for 105 of the world's poorer nations, in deals announced Thursday by a UN-backed organization.

The global Medicines Patent Pool signed agreements with 27 manufacturers to produce the oral antiviral medicine molnupiravir, for supply in low- and-middle-income countries.

"This is a critical step toward ensuring global access to an urgently needed COVID-19 treatment and we are confident that... the anticipated treatments will be rapidly available in LMICs," said MPP executive director Charles Gore.

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/01/21/2155422/philippines-among-105-nations-get-cheaper-merck-covid-19-pill