First group of Gaza children to be evacuated to UK for treatment 'in coming weeks'    European leaders stress unity with Ukraine ahead of Washington summit    King Salman and Crown Prince condole with Pakistan president over flood victims    Syrian minister to visit Riyadh on Monday to deepen economic cooperation    Thousands cross Channel in small boats since new migrant deal with France    'Skibidi' and 'tradwife' among words added to Cambridge Dictionary    Saudi citizen airlifted from Azerbaijan for treatment    26 health violations detected and two establishments closed in Riyadh    Saud Abdulhamid becomes first Saudi player to debut in French league    CMA prohibits foreign investors from owning over 49% of shares of any entity    Al Nassr sign Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich in €30m deal    Data centers to be expanded across UK as concerns mount    Saudi Arabia approves digital ID use for non-resident foreigners to own property    Des Buckingham takes charge of Al Kholood ahead of new RSL season    Music Commission to present 'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra' at Palace of Versailles on September 5    AI designs antibiotics for gonorrhoea and MRSA superbugs    HONOR introduces HONOR Magic V5 foldable at a premium regional event in Dubai    Al Nassr arrive in Hong Kong targeting Saudi Super Cup glory    Universal Inspection Co. Ltd. (UIC): Transforming industrial excellence with world-class precision    Baby Shark did not plagiarize, South Korea's top court rules    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Licensing agreement for new COVID-19 candidate drug 'an important first step'
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 16 - 11 - 2021

Access to a new COVID-19 drug will be expanded in low- and middle-income countries following a voluntary licensing agreement between the pharmaceutical company Pfizer and a UN-backed global health initiative, announced in Geneva on Tuesday.
The oral antiviral therapy PF-07321332 is designed to block the activity of the SARS-CoV-2-3CL protease, an enzyme the coronavirus needs to replicate. It is administered together with low dose ritonavir, used in some treatments for HIV and hepatitis C.
Landmark agreement
The agreement will allow the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to sub-license PF-07321332 for production and distribution by qualified generic medicine manufacturers worldwide, pending regulatory authorization and approval.
"This is the first license allowing generic manufacturing of this drug," said Hervé Verhoosel, spokesperson with Unitaid, the global health agency that created the MPP a decade ago.
"It is an important first step to help ensure that the latest tools for fighting COVID-19 are available in low- and middle-income countries at the same time as they become available in the wealthiest nations."
Reduced risk of death
PF-07321332 is administered with ritonavir so it can remain active in the body for longer periods of time at higher concentrations to help combat coronavirus.
The combination was found to reduce risk of hospitalization or death by nearly 90 percent, according to an interim analysis of phase two trials of non-hospitalized high-risk adults with COVID-19.
Under the agreement, qualified generic medicine manufacturers that are granted sub-licenses will be able to supply PF-07321332, in combination with ritonavir, to 95 countries, covering around 53 per cent of the global population.
They include all low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as nations, which have achieved upper-middle-income status in the past five years.
Verhoosel said Pfizer would not receive royalties on sales in low-income countries. The company will also waive royalties on sales in all countries covered by the agreement while COVID-19 remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Saving time and lives
Unitaid, which is hosted by WHO, funds initiatives that address major diseases through innovative, low-cost and effective solutions.
It established the MPP in 2010 to increase access to, and facilitate development of, life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries.
Since then, agreements have been signed with patent holders for medicines and technologies against HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, and now COVID-19.
"During a pandemic, saving time means saving lives. This agreement will help us to reach more people more quickly as soon as the medicine is approved and, when coupled with increased access to testing, bring benefits to millions," said Dr. Philippe Duneton, the Unitaid executive director.
There have been more than 253 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, and nearly 5.1 million deaths, according to latest WHO figures.
Unitaid is part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which has distributed millions of vaccines globally through the COVAX solidarity mechanism.
As co-lead of the Accelerator's therapeutics pillar, the agency advocates for equitable and rapid access to new treatments.
"To achieve this, multiple generic manufacturers must be ready to supply products to meet potential high demand, as soon as the new drug is approved by regulatory authorities," said Verhoosel. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.