[Power Alley:] In Recent Weeks, Both Merck And Pfizer Have Signed Chinese Based License Deals... For Oral COVID-19 Therapies.

This could be read as Mr. Xi, himself. . . hedging bets [as there is speculation that Mr. Xi had tested positive, or has/had the virus and is recovering slowly -- as it had been exactly 14 days since he was last seen in public, as of last night]. But nominally it is China, via SinoPharm, that is cutting the license deals -- and hedging its COVID bets. We have been covering the global uptake of both Merck and Pfizer offerings, since early 2021.

There is data to suggest that Sinopharm's vaccine is not terribly effective against later-arriving variants, whilst these two majors' pills (as therapies). . . do seem to be. As do the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

So here is the latest. [But please understand -- the remarks regarding Mr. Xi at the open above, are only rumor and speculation, since he'd not been seen in a few weeks, in public. . . until yesterday, that is.]

. . .A month ago, Zhejiang Huahai revealed a five-year deal to produce and sell Pfizer’s COVID-19 oral antiviral Paxlovid exclusively in China. . . .

Now, not to be outdone, Merck has agreed to a similar arrangement in China with its COVID-19 antiviral pills, which were co-developed by Ridgeback. The New Jersey pharma giant has granted Sinopharm exclusive import and distribution rights to Lagevrio (molnupiravir). . . .

This might also fairly be read as the keeping of the promise to make the pills available in lower income per capita geographies, via local license deals.

But the timing, given Xi's likely quarantine, if not outright viral contraction, is indeed. . . interesting.

Onward, smiling -- looking forward to a close dip past Europa, by the lithe and graceful copper-clad Juno tomorrow.

नमस्ते