Africa CDC has MOU with Pfizer for supplies of COVID-19 pill

Africa CDC has MOU with Pfizer for supplies of COVID-19 pill Africa's top public health agency has agreed a memorandum of understanding with Pfizer to bring supplies of the pharmaceutical firm's Paxlovid antiviral COVID-19 pills to the continent, its director said on Thursday. Reuters Reuters

JOHANNESBURG, March 10 (Reuters) - Africa's top public health agency has agreed a memorandum of understanding with Pfizer (PFE.N) to bring supplies of the pharmaceutical firm's Paxlovid antiviral COVID-19 pills to the continent, its director said on Thursday.

Data from a mid-to-late stage study in November showed Paxlovid was nearly 90% effective in preventing hospitalisations and deaths compared to placebo, in adults at high risk of severe illness. read more

John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also said it was still talking to Merck (MRK.N) about obtaining supplies of its molnupiravir COVID pill and a call was scheduled for this week about that.

"For the Pfizer situation, we have the MOU. The memorandum of understanding is with the legal office at the AU (African Union)," said Nkengasong. The Africa CDC is an AU agency. ...

A World Health Organization panel last week backed the use of molnupiravir for high-risk patients such as the immunocompromised, the unvaccinated, older people and those with chronic diseases. read more  ...