Gates Foundation to spend $ 120 million to accelerate access to Merck COVID-19 pill generics

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation stated that it would commit up to $ 120 million to launch the development of generic versions of Merck & Co.’s oral COVID-19 treatment to help ensure that lower-income countries have equitable access. to the medicine.

The goal is to bridge the gap between when rich countries have access to the antiviral drug, molnupiravir, and when the rest of the world can benefit from it.

“To end this pandemic, we need to ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to life-saving healthcare products”, Declared Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, in a statement.

The investment of the Gates Foundation It will be used to help drug manufacturers increase production of generic molnupiravir, as well as to support regulatory filing and prepare local markets, he noted. Trevor Mundel, president of the foundation’s World Health.

Initial data from a clinical trial on Merck’s experimental pill suggests that it may cut the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 in half when given early in the disease.

bundle He said the funding would serve as a bridge to start the manufacturing process. Ultimately, he estimated that the total cost to launch a generic version of the antiviral of Merck would amount to US $ 500 million. “That’s where global funders are going to have to come in.”, He indicated.

The foundation has sent requests for proposals to the eight Indian pharmaceutical companies that are already licensed by Merck to produce generics of the drug, it said. bundle. Entre ellos están Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla Ltd, Dr. Reddy’s Labs, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Labs, Sun Pharmaceuticals y Torrent Pharmaceuticals.

The foundation has also held talks with Merck to expand its licenses to other generic drug manufacturers, including some in Africa.

The first doses of the generic drug could be ready for launch in the first quarter of 2022, if approved.