Merck Jumps Into The Race For A Coronavirus Vaccine

TOPLINE

New Jersey-based pharmaceutical Merck announced three initiatives Tuesday to fight the novel coronavirus, including teaming up with nonprofit scientific research firm IAVI to develop a vaccine, as companies around the world race to find an effective treatment against the virus.

KEY FACTS

Crucial quote

“COVID-19 is a global challenge and requires global solutions,” said Merck chairman and chief executive Kenneth C. Frazier in a statement. “Merck intends to make any vaccine or medicine we develop for this pandemic broadly accessible and affordable globally, and we are working now to accomplish this goal as quickly as possible.”

Big number

One. That’s the number of doses Merck is ultimately aiming for in either Covid-19 vaccine. Roger Perlmutter, the head of Merck’s Research Laboratories, told Stat News that having to give booster shots would make immunizing people more difficult.

Key background

According to Stat News, Merck’s efforts against Covid-19 have been going on behind the scenes for at least two and a half months prior to its announcements Tuesday. In that space of time, other companies—including Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax—have announced their efforts to create a vaccine, and are in varying stages of development. Although the World Health Organization says over 100 vaccines are in the works, with some promising early trial results, experts like National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci have expressed caution. 12 to 18 months is the timeline in which most health officials agree a safe vaccine could be made available.

Further reading

Merck to Announce Multiple Scientific Efforts to Combat COVID-19 (Merck press release)

The Race Is On: Why Pfizer May Be The Best Bet To Deliver A Vaccine By The Fall (Forbes)

Novavax Is Beginning Clinical Trials Of Its Coronavirus Vaccine (Forbes)

Pfizer Launches U.S. Human Trial Of Coronavirus Vaccine (Forbes)

FDA ‘Fast Tracks’ First Coronavirus Vaccine From Moderna (Forbes)

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