The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said Wednesday it will direct up to $120 million to boost access to Merck’s Covid-19 drug in low-income countries, a first-of-its kind treatment that could be easily distributed in countries with low vaccine supplies and that trials suggest could slash the risk of hospitalization or death in high-risk groups.Key Facts
The money from the Gates Foundation will support the activities needed to develop and manufacture generic versions of Merck’s drug, molnupiravir, the foundation said in aThe funding is contingent on the drug gaining approval from regulators, the foundation said, and builds on its ongoing work to improve access to Covid-19 vaccines, treatments and tests, including $1.9 billion in funding since the start of the pandemic.
The foundation said initial data on molnupiravir, which Merck developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, was promising and showed the antiviral can halve the risk of serious disease and death from Covid-19. If approved, molnupiravir will be the first oral antiviral pill to treat Covid-19 on the market, something the foundation said was a “critical breakthrough” in fighting the pandemic. Melinda French Gates, who co-chairs the Gates Foundation, said everyone, “no matter where they live in the world,” must have access to the life-saving health products in order to end the pandemic.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Merck & Co's experimental antiviral drug molnupiravir has not shown 'significant efficacy' against moderate COVID-19, a source with the Drug Controller General of India said 'There is no significant efficacy against moderate COVID and mild cases,'