Pfizer has asked the United States to authorize its anti-COVID-19 drug

Pfizer announced on Tuesday that it had requested emergency authorization in the United States for its anti-COVID pill, a highly anticipated treatment because it can easily be taken at home in the first days after the onset of symptoms in the event of an infection.

The pharmaceutical giant has filed this request with the US agency responsible for drugs (FDA), he said in a statement. Earlier on Tuesday, Pfizer announced a global deal to allow generic manufacturers to produce the drug for delivery to 95 of the world’s poorest countries.

This antiviral treatment, which will be marketed as Paxlovid, has been shown to be 89% effective against hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 in clinical trials, when taken within three days of symptom onset.

These trials were conducted by the company on people at high risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19. They ingested the drug every 12 hours for five days.

“The overwhelming efficacy achieved in our clinical study of Paxlovid, and its ability to help save lives and keep people out of hospital if authorized, underscores the critical role that antiviral therapies can play in battle against COVID-19, ”said Pfizer boss Albert Bourla, quoted in the press release.

Antivirals work by reducing the ability of a virus to replicate, thereby slowing down the disease. These treatments represent a key complement to vaccines to protect against COVID-19.

the Washington Post reported Tuesday that the US government planned to announce the purchase of 10 million treatments this week.

Pfizer has said it plans to invest up to $ 1 billion to manufacture and distribute Paxlovid.

Manufacture by other companies

A voluntary license agreement was also announced Tuesday between Pfizer and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), a group supported by the UN. This agreement should allow generic manufacturers to produce the drug for supply to 95 countries with middle and lower income. A decision that could make treatment accessible to more than half of the world’s population.

The deal excludes some large countries that have suffered devastating coronavirus outbreaks. For example, while a Brazilian pharmaceutical company could obtain a license to make the tablet and export it to other countries, the drug could not be made generically for use in Brazil.

Health officials have nonetheless said that the fact that the deal was reached even before Pfizer’s drug was cleared somewhere could help end the pandemic faster.

“It is quite significant that we are able to provide access to a drug which appears to be effective and which has just been developed to more than 4 billion people,” said Esteban Burrone, head of the Patent Pool’s drug policy.

He estimated that other drug makers could start producing the tablet within a few months.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will not collect royalties on sales in low-income countries and will waive royalties on sales in all countries covered by the agreement as long as COVID-19 remains a public health emergency. .