Merck estimates up to $6B in sales from coronavirus pill in 2022

Merck estimates that it will rake in up to $6 billion in sales from its coronavirus pill this year, according to a financial statement released Thursday.

The US pharmaceutical company said it generated $952 million from the sale of its COVID-19 oral treatment pill, molnupiravir, in the fourth quarter.

Merck announced molnupiravir on Oct. 1, saying it reduces hospitalizations and deaths by 30% based on clinical trials of adults with high-risk factors.

It was approved as a second at-home drug treatment for the virus by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Dec. 23, a day after Pfizer's Paxlovid got a green light.

Merck has delivered 1.4 million courses of molnupiravir after approval.

The company is planning to deliver 3.1 million courses across the US in the following months, in addition to supplying 4 million courses to 25 countries this year, said CEO Rob Davis.