Countries included in licensing deal mostly in Africa and Asia and account for more than half of the world’s population<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>. 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. <\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n