Merck and Ridgeback make pact with UNICEF for antiviral COVID-19 medicine supply

The agreement will enable millions of patients in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries to gain access to molnupiravir

Merck (also known as MSD outside the US and Canada), and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics have signed a long-term supply agreement with the UNICEF to facilitate broad global access for molnupiravir, an investigational oral antiviral COVID-19 medicine.

In anticipation of positive clinical trial results and the potential for regulatory authorisation or approval, Merck manufactured 10 million courses of molnupiravir — a therapy which can play a significant role in global efforts to address the pandemic — at risk, by the end of 2021. The company says it it expects to produce at least 20 million courses in 2022.

This latest agreement will see Merck allocate up to 3 million courses throughout the first half of 2022 to UNICEF for distribution in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries following regulatory authorisations.

According to Robert M. Davis, CEO and president, Merck, patients from these countries will "gain access at the same time as patients in countries with higher incomes".

To accelerate broad global access for molnupiravir upon authorisation or approval, Merck’s supply and access approach includes investing at risk to produce millions of courses of the therapy, tiered pricing based on the ability of governments to finance healthcare, granting voluntary licences to generic manufacturers and to the Medicines Patent Pool to help increase affordable supply in the developing world, and making supply agreements with governments and other organisations.

Merck is developing molnupiravir in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and it has already been authorised for use in more than 10 countries, including in the US, UK and Japan.