Merck says it signed deal to supply Singapore with its Covid-19 antiviral pill

  • Merck announced a supply and purchase agreement that will provide Singapore with access to its experimental oral Covid-19 antiviral drug, the latest Asian country to try to snap up supplies.
  • Molnupiravir is designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus and would be the first oral antiviral medication for Covid-19.
  • Australia has also bought the Merck pill, while Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia have been in talks to buy it. The Philippines hopes its trial of the pill would allow it access

In this article

  • MRK

Merck announced on Wednesday a supply and purchase agreement that will provide Singapore with access to its experimental oral Covid-19 antiviral drug, the latest Asian country to try to snap up supplies.

Molnupiravir is designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus and would be the first oral antiviral medication for Covid-19. Merck is seeking approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the pill.

Singapore's health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the Merck agreement.

CNBC Health & Science

Read CNBC's latest global coverage of the Covid pandemic:

Woman who survived 1918 flu, world war succumbs to Covid 

'I want a normal Thanksgiving': Covid booster shot recipients say of third Pfizer dose  

United's unvaccinated staff drops from 593 to 320 after company said they would be fired   

'Covid will become manageable': BioNTech co-founder says the virus will be with us for years  

Australia has also bought the Merck pill, while Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia have been in talks to buy it. The Philippines hopes its trial of the pill would allow it access.

The rush to order the drug comes after data from interim clinical trials released on Friday indicated it could reduce by about 50% the likelihood of hospitalization or death for patients at risk of severe disease from Covid-19.

Singapore reported a record 3,486 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, as it deals with its biggest outbreak so far. It has vaccinated more than 80% of its people against Covid-19.

Source: Read Full Article