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 The decision is part of Pfizer's strategy to boost global production
of the pill, paxlovid, which was found to be nearly 90% effective in
preventing hospitalizations and deaths in patients at high risk of
severe illness, according to clinical trial data.
The investment will initially involve the production of active
pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for paxlovid at a plant run by
French pharmaceutical group Novasep, Pfizer said, noting that
additional Novasep facilities will be added next year.
"Novasep will produce API for use in our manufacturing network,
expected to contribute to the overall (global) effort to produce 120
million courses of treatment in 2022," it added.
The drug obtained emergency approval from the U.S. drug regulator in
December, and is being assessed for possible authorisation in the
European Union.
Pfizer said it expected Novasep's plant in Mourenx, in south-west
France, to be incorporated into its global paxlovid supply chain in
the third quarter of this year, with production being expanded to
include other Novasep facilities in 2023, a spokesman said.
[to top of second column] |
 Novasep was not immediately available for
comment.
Pfizer, which said it was too early to provide
projections for the output from Novasep, said
other sites around the world were also being
used for the manufacturing of paxlovid,
including in Ireland and Italy.
Part of the 520 million euros will also go into
research in France, including partnerships with
biotech firms there, according to Pfizer, which
declined to give a breakdown of its investments
in research and manufacturing in France.
($1 = 0.8758 euros)
(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio and Sudip Kar-Gupta;
Editing by Kim Coghill and Pravin Char)
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