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Pfizer's COVID-19 Oral Antiviral Cost $529 per Course

November 18, 2021 • 6:36 am CST
(Precision Vaccinations News)

New York-based Pfizer Inc. today announced an agreement with the U.S. government to supply 10 million treatment courses of PAXLOVID™, an investigational COVID-19 oral antiviral candidate, for about $529 per course beginning in late 2021.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will receive $5.29 billion from the U.S. government, pending and contingent upon regulatory authorization from the U.S. FDA.

Pfizer stated in a press release it has also entered into advance purchase agreements with several other countries and has initiated bilateral outreach to approximately 100 countries around the world.

The price being paid by the U.S. government is reflective of the high committed volume of treatment courses being purchased through 2022.

"We .... are pleased the U.S. government recognizes this potential," stated Albert Bourla, Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, in a press release.

"It is encouraging to see a growing understanding of the valuable role that oral investigational therapies may play in combatting COVID-19."

PF-07321332 is designed to block the activity of the SARS-CoV-2-3CL protease, an enzyme that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus needs to replicate, at a stage known as proteolysis – which occurs before viral RNA replication.

Co-administration with a low dose of ritonavir helps slow the metabolism, or breakdown, of PF-07321332 to remain active in the body for more extended periods of time at higher concentrations to help combat the virus.

In preclinical studies, PF-07321332 did not demonstrate evidence of mutagenic DNA interactions.

If authorized or approved, PAXLOVID will be administered at a dose of 300mg (two 150mg tablets) of PF-07321332 with one 100mg tablet of ritonavir, given twice daily for five days.

Recently, Pfizer reported Third-Quarter 2021 Revenues of $24.1 Billion, Reflecting 130% Operational Growth; excluding sales of the company's Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine, developed with German-based BioNTech SE.

As of November 2, 2021, the company anticipates 2021 revenues of approximately $36 Billion for Comirnaty. 

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