Back To Power-Alley: Unicef Contracts For 3 Million Doses Of Merck's Molnupiravir (Branded In US As Lagevrio®)

To be certain, this is the beginning of the "low- to zero-profit" supplying. . . of the COVID-19 pill, to over 100 lower income nations around the globe. [Notably, the Lagevrio^® pill is likely also fairly-effective against the current Omicron variant.]

Even so, it is very good news. It both validates that a 35% risk reduction is worthy of pursuit, and more importantly, demonstrates Merck's ongoing commitment to improve lives, even if that endeavor is not always wildly profitable, in every geography. Here's the bit -- from Reuters, this morning:

. . .[Merck and] Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said on Tuesday they had signed an agreement with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to supply up to 3 million courses of their COVID-19 antiviral pill.

Merck would supply the pill, molnupiravir, to UNICEF through the first half of 2022 for distribution in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries upon regulatory authorizations. . . .

So many memories swirling now, at the start of this even-numbered year. . . the Wicked soundtrack resonates, indeed.

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