EU strikes deals with Roche and Merck for potential Covid-19 drugs
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The European Commission has reportedly struck deals with drugmakers Roche and Merck to secure supplies of potential Covid-19 drugs.
A Commission source told Reuters that the deal covers two drugs seen as potential coronavirus therapies – Roche’s arthritis drug RoActemra and Merck’s multiple sclerosis drug Rebif.
The deal reportedly secures the supply for any of the 27 EU member states wanting to buy them, but no further details were disclosed.
It follows requests from the bloc’s member states in May to secure the drugs as they try to combat the pandemic, even before their effectiveness is proven.
A spokesperson for Roche told City A.M.: “In ongoing discussions with the European Commission, Roche has committed to meeting the supply needs for eligible patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia in the EU, and around the globe, in an equitable and sustainable manner.”
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“Current supply and distribution channels have proven to be very efficient, and we are committed to doing everything within our control to mitigate future potential supply disruptions of RoActemra.”
Roche is in the late stages of a 330-patient trial of the drug after it was used in China suffering from severe infection. Roche clarified today that while it is not currently approved for this use by any health authority yet, it would share the data as soon as possible.
The EU is also reportedly in talks with Gilead to obtain doses of remdesvir. There had been concerns over its availability after the drugmaker pledged almost all of its supplies to the US.
A spokesperson for the Commission and Merck were not immediately available for comment.
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