Merck and Ridgeback to Supply 3M Courses of Molnupiravir to UNICEF

Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics have agreed to supply up to 3 million courses of their Covid-19 antiviral pill molnupiravir to the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF.

The doses will ship out in the first half of 2022 for distribution in about 100 low- and middle-income countries following regulatory authorizations.

Molnupiravir won authorization from the FDA in December. It’s been authorized in 10 countries thus far, including Mexico, the UK and Japan.

About 30 countries have independently signed supply deals with Merck and Ridgeback for the drug pending regulatory approval, including Australia, Canada and Korea.