Pfizer Secures Deal With UN Group To Produce COVID-19 Pill

On Monday, Pfizer-BioNTech announced a deal with a United Nations-supported medical supply group to expand the production of its COVID-19 antiviral pill. The deal would expand access to COVID-19 treatments at a time when poorer nations are still struggling to get access to vaccinations against the virus.

Pfizer agreed to grant a license for the antiviral pill to the Geneva-based Medicines Patent Pool, a United Nations-backed public health organization. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said his company is pleased to be contributing to relief efforts aimed at countries with less access to COVID-19 treatments.

“Pfizer remains committed to bringing forth scientific breakthroughs to help end this pandemic for all people. We believe oral antiviral treatments can play a vital role in reducing the severity of COVID-19 infections, decreasing the strain on our healthcare systems and saving lives,” said Bourla.

“We must work to ensure that all people – regardless of where they live or their circumstances – have access to these breakthroughs, and we are pleased to be able to work with MPP to further our commitment to equity.”

Charles Gore, executive director of MPP, described the Pfizer pill as "well-suited for low- and middle-income countries" and will play an important part in fighting the virus.

Under the agreement, there are some limitations for Pfizer and the countries that would benefit from the deal.

The deal would extend to 95 countries but still leave out several large countries like Brazil, China and Russia where cases have been going up in recent weeks.

China and Russia recently reinstated limited lockdowns to curb upticks in cases within their borders. Brazil has experienced the most deaths from COVID-19 in the world after the U.S.

Pfizer has also agreed to not receive royalties on sales in low-income countries and will waive royalties on sales in all countries covered by the agreement for as long as Covid-19 remains a public health emergency.

On Nov. 5, Pfizer announced that a clinical trial of its pill to treat COVID-19 had shown it is highly effective, achieving what it said was an 89% reduction in hospitalization and mortality risks among adults.

It has not yet received regulatory approval in the U.S. or elsewhere, but it has been hailed as an important achievement that can expand efforts to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pfizer is not the only company that has produced an antiviral pill for treating the virus. Merck has created an antiviral pill that has received approval from the U.K. for use. Switzerland-based Roche also announced that it is working on its own pill as well, but it has run into pitfalls along the way.