Pfizer stock up over reports that it found antiviral compounds


Washington, Mar 3 (IANS): Drug maker Pfizer saw its stock jumping nearly 13 per cent after media reports claimed that the company has identified some antiviral compounds that may treat the new coronavirus (COVID-19).

The revelation came after US President Donald Trump met executives from Gilead Sciences, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Pfizer and other manufacturers to discuss progress on vaccines and antivirals to combat the coronavirus which has killed more than 3,000 people globally.

Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten was one of the pharmaceutical executives who met with Trump at the White House.

According to reports, Pfizer is currently in the process of screening the compounds with a third party and the results will be in by the end of March.

Pfizer stock hit Rs 4,925 per share -- a 52-week high.

Trump reportedly urged pharmaceutical executives to accelerate their efforts to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.

"We've asked them to accelerate whatever they're doing in terms of a vaccine," Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting, reports The Hill.

The novel coronavirus has killed four more Americans in suburban Seattle, taking the total death toll in the US to six, while New York reported its first case in Manhattan as Trump cranked up the pressure on Americas leading pharmaceutical companies to "get it done" although his own health experts have cautioned that a vaccine was at least 12 months away.

The US now has about 100 total cases across 14 states.

  

Top Stories


Leave a Comment

Title: Pfizer stock up over reports that it found antiviral compounds



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.