Pfizer maintains sales forecasts for its COVID-19 vaccine, pill in sign that demand has slowed

Pfizer Inc's increase maintained its sales forecasts for its pandemic products on Tuesday after a series of hikes to revenue projections for its COVID-19 vaccine last year, in a sign that dizzying growth has slowed. Several countries have eased pandemic restrictions, relaxing rules on masking and quarantines, even as cases rise in some regions. The company said it expects $22-billion in sales from its COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid this year, compared with analysts’ average expectation of $26.1-billion, according to Refinitiv. Pfizer had previously said its $22-billion forecast for sales of the pills only represents a fraction of the 120 million courses the company is able to manufacture this year.