U.S. to buy 1.4 mln more courses of Merck's COVID-19 pill (updated)

Merck & Co

09/11/2021 11:13

(Adds background, details on contract)
    Nov 9 (Reuters) - Merck & Co Inc  MRK.N  and partner
Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said on Tuesday the U.S. government
would buy an additional 1.4 million courses of their COVID-19
pill, molnupiravir.
    The U.S. government in June agreed to spend $1.2 billion for
1.7 million courses.
    The government is now exercising options to buy the extra
doses, valuing the contract at $2.2 billion for a total of 3.1
million courses, the companies said. 
    The U.S. government also has options to purchase more than 2
million additional courses under the contract, they added.

 (Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil
D'Silva)
 ((Manas.Mishra@thomsonreuters.com;
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