Pfizer COVID-19 Pill to Be Made, Sold Cheaply in 95 Poor Countries

TUESDAY, Nov. 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Pfizer Inc. announced Tuesday that it has reached an agreement for its promising COVID-19 antiviral pill to be made and sold cheaply in 95 developing nations.

The countries included in the licensing deal are mostly in Africa and Asia, and they account for more than half of the world's population, the company said in a statement. Pfizer is partnering on the agreement with Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), a United Nations-backed public health organization working to increase access to lifesaving drugs for low- and middle-income countries.

Under the terms of the deal, Pfizer will grant a royalty-free license for the pill to MPP and manufacturers can then take out a sublicense. They will receive the Pfizer formula for the drug and will be able to sell it for use in 95 developing countries after regulators authorize the drug in those places.

"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 health care systems and saving lives," Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said in the statement. "We must work to ensure that all people -- regardless of where they live or their circumstances -- have access to these breakthroughs."

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