Factbox-Countries rush to buy Merck experimental COVID-19 pill

(Reuters) – Merck has signed eight deals to sell more than a total of 2 million courses of its experimental COVID-19 pill molnupiravir to governments around the world as countries scramble to tame the virus.

FILE PHOTO: An experimental COVID-19 treatment pill called molnupiravir being developed by Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, is seen in this undated handout photo released by Merck & Co Inc and obtained by Reuters May 17, 2021. Merck & Co Inc/Handout via REUTERS

It has applied for approval in the United States and said it can make 10 million courses in 2021.

Last week the company reached a deal with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool that will allow more companies to manufacture generic versions of the pill with a royalty-free license applying to 105 low- and middle-income countries. So far Merck has agreed to license the drug to several India-based generic drugmakers.

The following table lists countries that already expressed interest in the pill, sorted alphabetically:

COUNTRY VOLUME PRICE TIMING OF SOURCE

DELIVERY

Australia 300,000 doses nL1N2R02UO

EU nL1N2R80ZA

France 50,000 doses nP6N2Q901D

Indonesia nL4N2RL2KW

Malaysia 150,000 courses nL1N2R306L

Philippines 300,000 courses 100-150 pesos November 2021 nL4N2RN2GN

($1.97-$2.96) per

pill

Singapore nL1N2R305J

South Korea 20,000 courses nL4N2R21J1

Thailand 200,000 courses nL1N2R00D9

UK nL8N2QX3RK

U.S. 1,700,000 courses $700 per course nL1N2R00D9

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