UK Calls For Additional Doses Of COVID-19 Antivirals From Merck, Pfizer

The U.K. government will buy more COVID-19 antiviral pills from Pfizer Inc PFE and Merck & Co Inc MRK as it seeks to combat the surge in omicron infections.

• Britain has secured an additional 1.75 million courses of Merck’s drug, molnupiravir, and another 2.5 million courses of Pfizer’s paxlovid. 
• Previously the U.K. had sourced 480,000 courses of molnupiravir and 250,000 courses of paxlovid. 
• In November, Britain’s health regulator became the first in the world to approve molnupiravir, describing the treatment as safe and effective following a quick review. 
• The drug is authorized in people with mild to moderate Covid and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness.
• Paxlovid has yet to be authorized by the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
• Price Action: MRK shares are up 0.34% at $75.80, PFE stock is down 0.29% at $58.78 during the premarket session on the last check Wednesday.