In October, the Geneva-based Medicines Patent Pool, a United Nations-backed public health group announced a voluntary licensing agreement by which Merck would license the drug to companies that meet certain quality-assurance specifications. Neither Merck nor its development partners will receive any royalties from the licenses for as long as the World Health Organization continues to classify COVID-19 a public health emergency.
Now 27 companies have met those standards to Merck’s specifications: five companies will produce the raw ingredients for the drug, 9 will produce the finished drug, and 13 will produce both.
