Chinese firms approved to make Merck’s Covid-19 pills for poor countries
- UN-backed agency says manufacturing agreements for molnupiravir critical to ensuring global access to treatment for the coronavirus
- Five Chinese companies get the go-ahead to make generic versions of the drug or ingredients but they will not be sold in China
Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical, BrightGene Bio-Medical Technology, Shanghai Desano Pharmaceuticals and Lonzeal Pharmaceuticals have permission to produce both the raw ingredients and finished product of the oral antiviral medicine molnupiravir, the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) said on Thursday.
Langhua Pharmaceutical is permitted to make only the raw ingredients, according to the MPP, a United Nations-backed organisation working to expand access to life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries.
“We are encouraged by the large number of new and existing partners that have moved quickly to secure a sub-licence for molnupiravir through the MPP,” MPP executive director Charles Gore said.
“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 in [low- and middle-income countries].”
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