Other Nations Get OK To Produce Merck’s Covid Treatment Pill

Stat: Merck Inks A Groundbreaking Licensing Deal For Covid-19 Antiviral Pill
In a notable bid to widen access to Covid-19 remedies, Merck (MRK) has agreed to license its widely anticipated antiviral pill to the Medicines Patent Pool, which in turn can now strike deals with other manufacturers to provide versions of the drug to 105 low and middle-income countries. The deal builds on a separate agreement that Merck made with eight generic companies that licensed the pill, which is called molnupiravir, in order to make knock-off copies for the same group of countries. The arrangement with the Medicines Patent Pool, however, means that still more manufacturers can now strike so-called sub-licensing deals, which would presumably increase availability more rapidly. (Silverman, 10/27)

NPR: Merck Will Allow Drugmakers In Other Countries To Make COVID Pill
U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. said it will license drugmakers worldwide to produce its potentially lifesaving antiviral pill for treatment of COVID-19 in adults. The drug, known as molnupiravir, has shown promise in treating the disease, and the agreement to license its production could help millions of people in the developing world gain access to it. Merck said earlier this month that a recent study of molnupiravir showed that it cut hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 in half. (Neuman, 10/27)

In other global news —

Bloomberg: Novavax Files For U.K. Authorization Of Covid Protein Shot 
Novavax Inc. applied for U.K. authorization of its Covid-19 vaccine, the first submission for a protein-based shot against the disease in Europe. The company, which lost out to rivals in the initial phase of vaccine development, said in a statement Wednesday that it completed its rolling submission -- an accelerated review of trial and manufacturing data -- with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and filed for a conditional marketing license. Shares of Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Novavax rose as much as 16% in New York. (Ring and Loh, 10/27)

AP: Moscow Starts Nonworking Period As Infections, Deaths Soar
The Russian capital on Thursday started a nonworking period intended to stem contagion as daily infections and deaths from COVID-19 surged to all-time highs. The government coronavirus task force reported 1,159 deaths in 24 hours, the largest daily tally since the pandemic began. It has brought the country’s official coronavirus death toll to 235,057, by far the highest in Europe. The confirmed daily infections surged to 40,096, topping a previous record reached earlier this week. (Isachenkov, 10/28)

Bloomberg: New Zealand Easing Border Restrictions For Fully Vaccinated Travelers
New Zealand will begin scaling back one of its key Covid-19 defenses by easing border restrictions for fully vaccinated people arriving from overseas. The amount of time travelers will have to spend in government-run hotel quarantine facilities will be halved to 7 from 14 days from Nov. 14, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said in a news conference in Wellington on Thursday. Home isolation will be introduced in the first quarter of 2022, he said. (Thomson, 10/28)

Bloomberg: Covid Rulebreakers In Beijing Targeted As Virus Spreads
China is striving to contain a fresh Covid outbreak that has spread to nearly half of the country, with police in the capital meting out punishments to those who refuse to comply with curbs. More than 200 people have been diagnosed since the latest flare-up began ten days ago, as tourists visiting scenic spots in the northwestern part of the country contracted the virus and spread it further once they returned home. A total of 34 infections, including 11 people without any symptoms, were reported on Thursday. (10/28)