https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizers-novel-covid-19-oral-antiviral-treatment-candidate
Humanity defeats Covid!
This antiviral drug has been entirely developed by a private company, so unlike Covishield, there will be no free licensing of this drug. I hope the Indian government isn't sleeping yet again, and working with Pfizer to pre-book and secure supplies. India has had product patenting in drugs since 2005 (the chemical formulation of the drug molecule is patentable, not just the chemical process that creates it), and compulsory licensing can only be done after three years. If Indian drug companies can invent a new process and a new molecule that has similar efficacy, then we have a win, but that would take years. Our best bet is to just pay Pfizer their pound of flesh and buy this stuff.
Humanity defeats Covid!
This antiviral drug has been entirely developed by a private company, so unlike Covishield, there will be no free licensing of this drug. I hope the Indian government isn't sleeping yet again, and working with Pfizer to pre-book and secure supplies. India has had product patenting in drugs since 2005 (the chemical formulation of the drug molecule is patentable, not just the chemical process that creates it), and compulsory licensing can only be done after three years. If Indian drug companies can invent a new process and a new molecule that has similar efficacy, then we have a win, but that would take years. Our best bet is to just pay Pfizer their pound of flesh and buy this stuff.