Reportedly, the European Union is negotiating with Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) and Pfizer over possible contracts to supply their experimental COVID-19 drugs. Both the healthcare giants have developed antiviral pills that have shown promising efficacy in adults displaying Merck’s efficacy result of around 50%, and Pfizer’s at 89%.
Talks with Merck were more advanced because it has already begun submitting data to the European Union’s drugs regulator. Pfizer is yet to submit any data. The drugs treatments are given for five days, Pfizer’s three pills are to be taken in the morning and night, whereas Merck’s is four pills in the morning and at night.
A rush to secure the initial, limited courses of both pills is underway. Britain has procured 480,000 courses of Merck’s pill and 250,000 courses of Pfizer’s. Many countries, including the United States, Australia, several Asian countries, Indonesia, and Thailand are also in talks to procure the pills. Pfizer expects to produce more than 180,000 courses of its therapy by the end of 2021, whereas Merck plans an output of 10 million courses.
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) is a global healthcare solutions provider that has been working towards bringing forward medicine and vaccines for some of the world’s most challenging diseases for more than a century. They are committed to increasing health care access and continue to be at the leading edge of research. Merck has the industry’s largest immuno-oncology clinical research program. To learn more about Merck (MRK) and to track its ongoing progress please visit the Vista Partners Merck Coverage Page.
If you liked this story please consider, visiting the Atossa Therapeutics (ATOS) dedicated page at Vista Partners to learn about the Seattle-based biotech firm’s work towards finding therapeutic treatments for Breast Cancer and the Coronavirus.
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