The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation says that it will set aside $120 million to help low-income purchase an experimental COVID-19 vaccines which is being developed by America based pharmaceutical company Merck & Co Inc. (MRK).
The charity organization made this announcement of October 20 saying the project will come as its efforts against fighting the deadly pandemic.
The foundation says this money will be directed towards supporting efforts to develop and make generic versions of what might become the first oral antiviral medication for the deadly disease. The drug is now pending regulatory approval.
Merck has partnered with biotechnology company Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to develop an antiviral pill to treat coronavirus infections ranging from mild to moderate and severe cases.
“Today’s commitment will ensure that more people in more countries get access to the promising drug molnupiravir, but it’s not the end of the story – we need other donors, including foundations and governments, to act,” said the organization’s co-chair, Melinda French Gates.
