Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the middle of the week. Congratulations on making it this far and remember there are only a few more days until the weekend arrives. So keep plugging away. After all, what are the alternatives? While you ponder the possibilities, we invite you to join us for a delightful cup of stimulation. Remember that no prescription is required. Our choice today is peppermint mocha. Meanwhile, here is the latest menu of tidbits to help you on your way. Have a wonderful day, and please do stay in touch. …
Merck plans to take legal action against several pharmaceutical companies in China after noticing that some manufacturers were supplying Covid-19 drugs to some provinces and cities saying the medicines were authorized by Merck, Reuters reports. The company expects its Covid-19 antiviral pill to be launched in the Chinese market on Friday, but noted that Sinopharm is the only legally authorized distributor there of molnupiravir, which is sold under the brand name Lagevrio and was developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. A severe shortage of Covid-19 drugs in China has made many turn to underground channels, which has in turn prompted caution over fake remedies.
Pfizer chief executive officer Albert Bourla said the company is not in talks with Chinese authorities to license a generic version of its Covid-19 pill, Paxlovid, for use there, but is holding talks about a price for the branded product, Reuters writes. “We have an agreement already for local manufacturing of Paxlovid in China. So we have a local partner that will make Paxlovid for us, and then we will sell it to the Chinese market,” he said. Pfizer has a licensing agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool that allows 35 drugmakers around the world to make cheap versions of Paxlovid and supply the pill in 95 poorer countries. That license does not allow them to sell generic Paxlovid in China.
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