Pfizer announced on Friday, November 5 that its anti-Covid pill was 89% effective in preventing the risk of hospitalization or death, according to early results from clinical trials.
Antivirals work by decreasing a virus’ ability to replicate itself, thereby slowing the disease. Easy to administer, these treatments are a complement to vaccines to protect against Covid-19. Pfizer’s initial results are based on clinical trials of just over 1,200 adults who have contracted Covid-19 and are at risk of developing a severe case of the disease. Within a few days of the onset of symptoms, some received Pfizer’s pill, and others received a placebo.
The pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced today that it has reached an agreement to make its pill widely available. A voluntary licensing agreement would effectively allow Pfizer’s anti-Covid pill to be distributed beyond wealthy countries, once it has been approved. This agreement, allowing the pill to be distributed in 95 countries, will cover “up to about 53% of the world’s population”, explained a spokeswoman for the Medicine Matent Pool (MMP). The announcement was made jointly by the MMP and Pfizer on November 16.
In addition, Pfizer will not receive any profits on sales in low-income countries and, as long as the Covid-19 pandemic remains classified as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization, will not receive royalties on sales in all countries covered by the agreement.
