Drugs companies sign deal to produce low-cost Covid drug for 105 countries

Merck & Co.'s antiviral medication molnupiravir. © AP file

A U.N.-backed organization announced Thursday that it has signed agreements with more than two dozen generic drug makers to produce versions of Merck's COVID-19 pill to supply 105 developing countries.

The Medicines Patent Pool said the deals would allow drug companies to make both the raw ingredients for molnupiravir and the finished product itself.