Will Pfizer once again win the day? After a successful year 2021 thanks to the sales of its Comirnaty vaccine against Covid-19, developed with the German BioNTech, the American pharmaceutical laboratory is preparing to flood the world with its brand new product against SARS-CoV-2. : Paxlovid.
This new treatment against the virus, currently reserved for infected patients most at risk of developing a severe form of the disease, is not the first to burst onto the market. In France, the High Authority for Health (HAS) has already given the green light to a series of remedies, including Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody developed by the British AstraZeneca, or, more recently, Xevudy, the treatment of his compatriot, London’s GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). However, Pfizer has a serious advantage: unlike its rivals, whose products require to be administered by intravenous injection, its antiviral treatment comes in the form of tablets to be swallowed two times a day. Much more convenient for patients.
This small revolution in the therapeutic arsenal against the virus should greatly benefit the New York industrialist. Especially since the drug manufacturer should, as with the arrival of vaccines, take advantage of the setbacks of its competitors. Its main rival, the American Merck, whose pill against Covid-19 promised serious competition for the ambitions of Pfizer in the fall of 2021, saw its hopes suddenly collapse, its treatment proving to be much less effective than expected. France, which had also placed a pre-order with Merck in October 2021, canceled its contract in mid-December to turn to Pfizer.
A total of 27 million doses
Blessed bread for Pfizer. The pharmaceutical laboratory has already started discussions for potential orders from around a hundred countries and organizations, including recently with the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention to supply the African continent. The Airfinity firm estimates Pfizer’s potential gain in 2022 at 19.5 billion dollars (17.2 billion euros) from sales of its product. More than a dozen contracts have already been signed, for a total of doses approaching 27 million.
Among the large orders is notably that of the United States. After the announcement, mid-November 2021, of an initial agreement of 5.29 billion dollars (4.7 billion euros) for 10 million doses, or approximately 466 euros per treatment course, the government of Joe Biden doubled down in early January.
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