London, Friday 4 February 2022 -
According to a financial statement filed Thursday, Merck expects to make up to $6 billion in sales from its coronavirus medication this year.
In the fourth quarter, the US pharmaceutical company reported it made $952 million from the sale of its COVID-19 oral therapy tablet, molnupiravir.
Merck launched molnupiravir on Oct. 1, claiming that it decreases hospitalizations and fatalities by 30% in adults with high-risk characteristics, according to clinical trials.
The US Food and Medicine Administration (FDA) approved it as a second at-home drug treatment for the virus on Dec. 23, a day after Pfizer's Paxlovid received approval.
Following FDA approval, Merck distributed 1.4 million courses of molnupiravir.
According to CEO Rob Davis, the company plans to distribute 3.1 million courses across the United States in the next months, in addition to 4 million courses to 25 nations this year.
(Written and edited by: The Decision Maker)
