A year since Paxlovid was launched and The Medicines Patent Pool licensed Pfizer’s nirmatrelvir, we look at a few likely reasons for authorized generics of Paxlovid not turning up and what lies ahead in 2023, as Hetero’s version becomes the first with WHO prequalification while two Chinese and a Korean company wait in the wings.

It’s been a year since Paxlovid was launched and The Medicines Patent Pool licensed Pfizer’s nirmatrelvir. Scrip looks at a few likely reasons for authorized generics of Paxlovid not turning up and what lies ahead in 2023 as Hetero's version becomes the first with WHO Prequalification while two Chinese and a Korean company wait in the wings.

Private Company Edition: In recent weeks, 19 companies disclosed venture capital funding of $20m or more, including FogPharma with a $178m series D round and Apogee’s $169m launch. Also, Avalon BioVentures spun out of Avalon Ventures with a $135m fund.

China reports flu outbreaks as COVID-19 cases decline, suggesting that population immunity may have been affected by the country's strict "COVID Zero" policies. The cost and availability of flu vaccines in the country are other policy factors playing into the situation.