WASHINGTON: The US government will buy $ 1 billion from Covid-19 pills created by Merck & Co Inc.
and Ridgeback BioTherapeutics partners, the company said on Tuesday.
The government in June agreed to buy 1.7 million Molnupiravir programs for $ 1.2 billion and now exercise to buy more than 1.4 million.
It brought a total safe course to 3.1 million and was worth $ 2.2 billion.
Merck said the government had the right to buy more 2 million courses as part of the contract.
This drug has been closely monitored since last month data shows that when given earlier in the disease it can divide two chances of death or hospitalized for those who are most at risk of developing severe Covid-19.
“Molnupiravir, if authorized, will be among the vaccines and drugs available to fight Covid-19 as part of our collective effort to end this pandemic,” said Frank Clyburn, President of the Merck Human Health Business.
With limited options to treat people with Covid-19, the US government has also secured millions of doses of Pfizer Inc.’s rival antivirus drug, which last week was indicated to be cut by 89% of the opportunities for hospitalization or the death of adults at risk of severe disease.
The Merck application with the US Food and Drug Administration will be taken by an independent expert panel on November 30, along with regulators.
England last week became the first country in the world to clear the use of Molnupiravir.
Merck hopes to produce 10 million maintenance courses at the end of this year, with at least 20 million sets will be produced in 2022.
Shares of drug makers rose by almost 1% to $ 83.41 in premarket trade.