Gates Foundation Pledges $120Mln For Supply Of New US COVID-19 Drug In Poor Countries

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced the allocation of up to $120 million to facilitate access for lower-income countries to molnupiravir, an experimental coronavirus drug being developed by US pharmaceutical company Merck & Co in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2021) The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced the allocation of up to $120 million to facilitate access for lower-income countries to molnupiravir, an experimental coronavirus drug being developed by US pharmaceutical company Merck & Co in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

On October 1, Merck & Co said that trials showed molnupiravir reducing the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 by 50%. The company has requested emergency approval for the drug from the US food and Drug Administration. If authorized, it may become the first oral medication for treating the coronavirus infection.

"Today's commitment will ensure that more people in more countries get access to the promising drug molnupiravir, but it's not the end of the story�we need other donors, including foundations and governments, to act," Melinda Gates was quoted as saying.

The "investigational" drug will help overcome the access gap that poor countries have been experiencing throughout the pandemic, the foundation said.

As noted in the statement, molnupiravir has yet to be approved by the World Health Organization and national regulators. However, several countries, including South Korea and Malaysia, are already negotiating procurement.