US orders Pfizer 10 million pills against COVID-19 for US $ 5.3 billion

The US government ordered from the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer 10 million pills against COVID-19 for US $ 5.29 billion, an order contingent on the approval of the drug by the competent authorities.

Pfizer on Tuesday petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization for the emergency use of its Paxlovid pill, which has been shown to reduce hospitalization or death by almost 90% among newly infected high-risk patients.

The pharmaceutical company markets a vaccine against the virus in collaboration with the laboratory BioNTech.

This antiviral treatment, which will be marketed under the name Paxlovid, was tested in people at high risk of developing severe cases of COVID-19.

Antivirals work by reducing the ability of the virus to replicate, thus slowing the progression of the disease. It is a key complement to vaccines to protect against coronavirus.

“Getting vaccinated remains the most important action to protect yourself and others and end this pandemic“Said US Secretary of Health Xavier Becerra in a statement.

“But for people who get sick and can suffer serious consequences, having pills they can take to avoid going to the hospital could be a lifesaver.”He added.

Washington’s order foresees the delivery of the first treatments by the end of the year, and in 2022.

“The price paid by the government reflects the high volume of treatments purchased“Prizer highlighted in its own statement, in which it indicates that it is in talks to sell its pill with other countries.

Numbers

The pharmaceutical group has already widely benefited from its anti-COVID vaccine, which allowed it to double its turnover in the third quarter to US $ 24.1 billion, and multiply its net profit in the period by five compared to the same quarter of 2020, to a total of US $ 8.150 million.

The American laboratory Merck also developed an antiviral treatment, molnupiravir, authorized in early November by the United Kingdom, the first country to allow it.

A commission from the FDA It will meet on November 30 to pronounce on the request for authorization of Merck’s treatment in the United States.

Washington has already purchased 3.1 million treatments from Merck.

Pfizer signed a voluntary license agreement that should allow access to its anti-COVID pill beyond rich countries, once it has been authorized, and thus fight more effectively against a pandemic that continues to ravage the world.

The US pharmaceutical giant and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), created by Unitaid, jointly made the announcement on Tuesday.

That will allow generic manufacturers to produce the drug to supply 95 low- and middle-income countries with 53% of the world’s population.

Merck concluded a similar pact with MPP for its oral medication.

On Wall Street the action of Pfizer it was slightly higher after the open.