US drug giant Pfizer has announced an agreement to make its coronavirus antiviral pills more affordable in poor countries.
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Pfizer will license the production of the promising Paxlovid pills to manufacturers of generic drugs.
This is to supply it in 95 low- and middle-income countries, which comprise about 53 percent of the world’s population.
Pfizer has applied to the Food and Drug Administration to use the drug is developed.
Under the agreement with the Global Pharmaceutical Patent Pool (MPP), Pfizer that makes a coronavirus vaccine will not receive royalties from generic manufacturers, which will make the treatment cheaper.
The agreement is subject to oral antivirals, which are subject to ongoing trials and regulatory approval.
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The Geneva-based MPP is an international organization supported by the United Nations, facilitating drug development for low- and middle-income countries.
MPP’s head of policy Esteban Boroni told AFP that if the pill is approved, it could be on the market “in a few months”.
Pfizer also said Tuesday that it is seeking emergency use authorization in the United States for its coronavirus pills.
