MSF responds to emergency use authorization for REGN-CoV-2 by the US FDA

Geneva, 23 November 2020 – Regeneron has just received emergency use authorization of REGN-CoV-2 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults with confirmed mild and moderate COVID-19 with risk factors for severe disease. Per a news report, the US government has reserved Regeneron’s first 300,000 doses through an advanced purchase agreement.

Quote by Julien Potet, Policy Advisor on Neglected Tropical Diseases, MSF Access Campaign

“Regeneron has not yet said how much it will charge for this drug, but the corporation should not try to profiteer off of this pandemic, especially considering the substantial funding support from US taxpayers that went to develop the treatment. The price for REGN-CoV-2 should be no more than the actual cost to make the treatment. Previous research estimates costs around US$100 or less to produce one gram of a monoclonal antibody treatment, so Regeneron should charge no more than $240 for a full treatment course of 2.4g of REGN-CoV-2.

Given the small amounts of this drug that exist compared to the global disease burden, Regeneron should consider transferring its technology and know-how into a technology pool so that other monoclonal antibody manufacturers can start to produce and supply this drug. Regeneron should not enforce its patents on this treatment – a global pandemic is no time for business as usual.

The US government has already bought up all stocks of this drug, leaving nearly nothing for the rest of the world – this is not equitable, considering the global disease burden, and makes it all the more urgent for Regeneron to make its know-how available so that other manufacturers can also produce and supply the drug.”

 

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