March 16 (Reuters) – Drugmaker Merck and Co (MRK.N) stated on Wednesday it might not make additional investments in Russia, however proceed to provide life-saving medicines and vaccines to the nation.
Merck joins a rising checklist of drugmakers, together with Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), Eli Lilly (LLY.N), Novartis (NOVN.S) and Abbvie Inc (ABBV.N), that are pausing investments or scaling again their enterprise in Russia after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Western firms have come underneath stress to go away Russia, however the healthcare sector has not pulled out as a result of medicines and medical units and gear are thought-about crucial for humanitarian causes and are excluded from sanctions.
Merck stated it might ship 135,000 programs of its COVID-19 capsule, molnupiravir, to Ukraine underneath a provide settlement with the federal government.
The corporate doesn’t have any analysis or manufacturing services in Russia, an organization spokesperson stated.
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Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Modifying by Anil D’Silva
