Merck & Co announced on Wednesday that it has signed a licensing agreement with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to allow other companies to manufacture generic versions of the U.S. drugmaker’s oral antiviral COVID-19 treatment. The agreement would be valid in 105 low and middle-income countries.
The experimental drug, named molnupiravir, was developed in partnership with Miami-based biotech company Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and has been found to halve the risk of serious disease and death when administered to COVID-19 patients at an early stage.
Following the signing of the agreement, Merck and Medicines Patent Pool released a joint statement in which it was announced that “this is the first transparent, public health-driven voluntary license for a COVID-19 medical technology.” Currently, the pill is under consideration for emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In order to produce generic versions of the molnupiravir pill, companies will have to apply for a sub-license from Medicines Patent Pool. This license will be royalty-free under the condition that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be defined as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” by the United Nations. The sub-license includes technology transfer.
