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 The antiviral drug, which in December received emergency approval in
the United States, reduces hospitalizations and deaths of high-risk
patients by around 30%, according to clinical trial results.
The agreement, negotiated by the U.N.-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP)
with Merck, allows 27 generic drugmakers from India, China and other
countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East to produce ingredients
and the finished drug.
The MPP said on Thursday the deal stipulated the pill would be
distributed to 105 less-developed nations.
The developers of molnupiravir, which alongside Merck are U.S. firm
Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Emory University, will not receive
royalties for the sale of the low-cost versions produced by generic
drugmakers while COVID-19 remains classified as a Public Health
Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization
(WHO).
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 "This is a critical step
towards ensuring global access to an urgently
needed COVID-19 treatment and we are confident
that, as manufacturers are working closely with
regulatory authorities, the anticipated
treatments will be rapidly available," said MPP
Executive Director Charles Gore.
Bangladesh's Beximco Pharmaceuticals, India's
Natco Pharma, South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare
Holdings and China's Fosun Pharma are among
generics firms that will produce the finished
product.
(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascioEditing
by David Goodman and Mark Potter)
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