Ireland seeks to buy Merck, Pfizer, GSK COVID-19 antiviral drugs

An experimental COVID-19 treatment pill, called molnupiravir and being developed by Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, is seen in this undated handout photo released by Merck & Co Inc
An experimental COVID-19 treatment pill, called molnupiravir and being developed by Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, is seen in this undated handout photo released by Merck & Co Inc and obtained by Reuters on October 26, 2021. Merck & Co Inc/Handout via REUTERS

DUBLIN, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Ireland's government agreed on Wednesday to fund the purchase of COVID-19 antiviral drugs from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L), Pfizer (PFE.N) and Merck (MRK.N).

Ireland plans to purchase the drugs through the European Union's procurement process and by dealing directly with the companies, the health ministry said in a statement.

Local media reported that ministers had agreed to set aside 90 million euros for the treatments which countries around the world are scrambling to secure. The health ministry did not say how many courses it would seek to purchase. read more

"This will be an additional tool to the range we currently have at our disposal to deal with COVID-19. The primary one of course remains the vaccines," Prime Minister Micheál Martin told a news conference.

Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Kirsten Donovan

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