- New agreements will make generic Paxlovid available at under US$25 per treatment course.
- Companies to dedicate capacity for 4.5 million treatment courses per month.
The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) today announced agreements with leading generic manufacturers to make generic Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir – NIR/r) available to low- and middle-income countries at under US$25 per treatment course for treatment of COVID-19 in high-risk patients. CHAI interim co-CEO Joy Phumaphi announced the new ceiling price agreements at the White House Global COVID-19 Summit.
“Today’s agreements represent a significant step toward ensuring equitable access to a proven COVID-19 treatment that will save lives and reduce the burden on struggling health systems,” stated Ms. Phumaphi.
Paxlovid is a highly effective and safe treatment that has received Emergency Use Authorization in the United States, Europe, and many other countries.
Under the agreements announced today, the companies will guarantee production of an affordable generic version of the drug and dedicate capacity for 4.5 million treatment courses per month for low- and middle-income countries covered under their licensing agreements with the Medicines Patents Pool (MPP), pending provision of demand forecasts. Manufacturers will work to file for World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification or approval from a Stringent Regulatory Authority (SRA) by the first quarter of 2023 and will register the product widely across licensed territories.
At the same time, CHAI will work with donors and our partner governments to raise procurement funding and pursue an advance purchase agreement for the product to meet country needs. CHAI will also work with Unitaid, WHO, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, and other ACT-A partners to support partner countries to accelerate plans and build capacity for decentralized testing and treatment of high-risk patients in even the most remote settings.
Participating companies are well-established and trusted suppliers to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. As leaders in the HIV antiretroviral (ARV) market, they represent over 25 precent of global low- and middle-income public sector procurement volumes per year.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an enormous toll on health and lives globally, with over six million estimated deaths and trillions of dollars of lost economic productivity. Equitable access to effective oral antiviral medications, especially for high-risk populations, will help save lives and limit the impact of future surges.
CHAI thanks the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Unitaid, and The Global Fund for their support in reaching this agreement and acknowledge the leadership and contributions from the ACT-A diagnostic and therapeutic pillars.
FAQ: What you need to know about CHAI’s generic Paxlovid deal
###
About CHAI | The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries. We work with our partners to strengthen the capabilities of governments and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems that can succeed without our assistance.
For more information, please contact:
Regan Lachapelle, Communications Director, CHAI, rlachapelle@clintonhealthaccess.org
