Merck In Talks To Possibly Produce COVID-19 Shots: WSJ

According to the Wall Street Journal, Merck & Co Inc (NYSE: MRK) is reportedly in talks with governments and companies to potentially help with the manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines that have already been authorized.
The supply of COVID-19 shots remains limited, prompting the vaccine-makers such as Pfizer Inc PFE and BioNTech SE BNTX to team up with other companies to fill the gap. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's TEVA Chief Executive Kare Schultz said the company is in talks with companies to help manufacture shots.
Merck halted the development of its two COVID-19 vaccines in January after early trials showed both vaccines generated immune responses that were inferior to those seen in people who had recovered from COVID-19 as well as those reported for other COVID-19 vaccines.
Though, Merck has built out its portfolio of COVID-19 medicines through a series of deals in recent months. It includes a $425 million OncoImmune Acquisition, from which the results of a late-stage study is expected by the end of March. Another therapy, oral antiviral dubbed as Ridgeback Biotherapeutics developed molnupiravir, is in Phase 2/3 trial for hospitalized and outpatient COVID-19 patients. Early data from a trial is expected as early as the first quarter.
Merck had acquired Themis, which is working on a COVID-19 vaccine candidate. It has also collaborated with IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization, to develop an investigational vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.
Price Action: MRK shares closed 0.2% lower at $74.89 on Wednesday.

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