Britain's antiviral chief hints at interest in Merck COVID-19 pill

The chair of Britain's antivirals taskforce declined to comment directly about talks over Merck & Co Inc's (MRK.N) experimental oral COVID-19 drug molnupiravir, but hinted at Britain's interest in buying the potential breakthrough pill. Taskforce chair Eddie Gray was speaking to reporters after interim clinical trial results published on Thursday showed molnupiravir reduced the chance of hospitalisation or death for patients at risk of severe disease by about 50%. 'We are involved in looking closely at all of the options available, but we're really not in a position to give out the details around specific conversations at this moment in time,' he told a briefing about molnupiravir after the results were published, which was also attended by a Merck representative.