MERCK TO SHARE COVID-19 PILL

Merck announced on Wednesday that it will share its antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 with developing countries in a move to broaden access to the promising treatment.

Merck and its partner, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, said they had entered a licensing agreement for the treatment with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), a United Nations-backed organization, that will allow the pill to be shared with 105 low- and middle-income countries.

Merck, Ridgeback and Emory University, where it was invented, will not receive royalties from the license as long as COVID-19 is still a public health emergency of international concern, as designated by the World Health Organization.

Pressure on vaccine makers to follow: The move by Merck and its partners could be an important precedent, given that advocates are pushing other companies, including COVID-19 vaccine makers, to also share their formulas and know-how with developing countries.

“Important step by Merck, which will further highlight the need for measures needed to convince and to enable more COVID vaccine manufacturers to take similar steps,” tweeted Tom Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations.