Pfizer signs deal to sell Paxlovid in China as COVID cases climb: report

Pfizer has inked a deal with a Chinese-based pharmaceutical company to sell the COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid in the country, according to Bloomberg.

The announcement with China Meheco Group, which Bloomberg reported was made in a filing with the Shanghai stock exchange, comes as China faces a surge in coronavirus infections as it eases its “zero COVID” policy.

China in February cleared the pill for use, and the companies’ agreement is effective immediately, Bloomberg reported.

The ability for the antiviral to enter the Chinese market could prove useful as the country battles a high level of coronavirus cases.

Official case counts on the mainland have declined in recent days, but the decline comes as the country eases testing requirements as part of efforts to relax its COVID-19 policies following rare sizable protests and an economic slump.

The country still appears to be experiencing mass outbreaks as it wanes what were some of the strictest pandemic restrictions in the world.

China’s National Health Commission indicated on Wednesday that it is now “impossible to get accurate statistics for asymptomatic” because of the changes, so the government will no longer release statistics for asymptomatic cases.