Malaysia in talks to procure Merck's COVID-19 pills

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a tweet that he has started negotiations to procure the new drugs, referring to a Reuters story on Friday that the pill developed by Merck could halve the chances of dying or being hospitalised for those most at risk of contracting severe COVID-19.

"As we transition to living with COVID, we will be adding new, innovative treatment options to our arsenal in addition to vaccines," he said.

Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics are planning to seek U.S. emergency use authorisation for the pill as soon as possible and to make regulatory applications globally.

The pill molnupiravir, designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus, would be the first oral antiviral medication for COVID-19.

Current treatment options include Gilead Sciences Inc's infused antiviral remdesivir and generic steroid dexamethasone, both of which are generally only given once a patient has already been hospitalised.

There was not immediate response to a request to clarify if the ministry's negotiations also included Gilead Sciences or Pfizer which is developing an antiviral pill with Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG.