STAT+: Pharmalittle: Gates commits $120 million to speed generic versions of Merck Covid-19 pill; sales of Biogen Alzheimer’s drug bomb
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the middle of the week. Congratulations on making it this far, and remember there are only a few more days until the weekend arrives. So keep plugging away. After all, what are the alternatives? While you ponder the possibilities, we are firing up the coffee kettle and invite you to join us for a delightful cup of stimulation. Our choice today is maple pecan. Remember that no prescription is required. Meanwhile, here is the latest menu of tidbits to help you on your way. We hope your day is productive and meaningful. And of course, do stay in touch. We appreciate hearing secrets. …
As concern mounts over access to Covid-19 remedies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committing up to $120 million to accelerate production of generic versions of an experimental Merck (MRK) pill to treat Covid-19 that would be available to dozens of low-income countries. But the effort was greeted with mixed reactions by patient advocates, STAT writes. The Gates Foundation plans to provide different types of incentives so that generic manufacturers, which have signed voluntary licensing deals with Merck, will be positioned to produce a sufficient quantity of the drug, called molnupiravir, as quickly as possible.
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