WASHINGTON: Merck & Co Inc on Thursday said the Covid-19-19 drugs could carry between $ 5 billion and $ 7 billion in sales until the end of next year, assuming it obtained authorization in December.
Merck shares rose more than 4% to $ 84.88 in early trade.
Antivirus drugs, Molnupiravir, have been watched strictly since Merck earlier this month reported data showing it can divide two chances of death or hospitalized for those who are most at risk of getting a severe disease.
The US food and drug administration advisors will meet in November to choose whether the drug must be authorized.
If cleaned by the FDA, the drug developed with Ridgeback biotapeutika will be the first oral antivirus treatment for Covid-19.
Merck executive Robert Davis said in an interview with an estimate of $ 5 billion to $ 7 billion for the pill based on the contract and signed area where the company has high confidence that they will reach an agreement, and the estimate can move higher.
“We will have more courses available than what we have sales at this time,” Davis said.
He noted that demand could be a surge if the drug was found to be effective in preventing Covid-19 after exposure to the virus.
“It’s not in these numbers,” he said.
While the vaccine remains a major weapon against Covid-19, the experimental pill Merck can be a game-changer because other treatments for this disease are given as infusion or injection, especially in hospital settings.
Molnupiravir is taken twice a day for five days.
Merck said expecting between $ 500 million and $ 1 billion in drug sales this year.
The advantage will be shared with Ridgeback.
US drug makers in June agreed to provide 1.7 million doses of molnupiravir to the Government A.S.
For around $ 1.2 billion, after being removed by the regulator.
Other countries have rushed to sign drug transactions because the data was announced.
Merck has also signed a pact with generic drug makers to produce drugs for low and medium income countries.
It is expected to produce 10 million drug programs this year, and see the number more than doubled in 2022.
The production target does not include a license agreement for the generic version.
Also on Thursday, Merck raised the estimated earnings that had been fully adjusted for the year after a strong third quarter request for the keytruda blockbuster cancer drugs, and a 68% surge in Gardasil sales, the vaccine was to prevent cancer caused by papillomavirus humans.
Keytruda’s sale, which was on its track to become the best-selling drug in the world in 2023, rose 22% to $ 4.53 billion in the quarter, estimating the estimated Lofty analyst of $ 4.31 billion.
Merck now estimates a full-year profit of $ 5.65 to $ 5.70 per share, up from the previous display of $ 5.47 to $ 5.57.
Forecasts do not include potential contributions from Molnupiravir.