Pfizer to spend $120 million to boost U.S. COVID pill manufacturing

(Reuters) – Pfizer Inc said on Monday it would spend $120 million to expand manufacturing of its COVID-19 antiviral treatment at its Michigan plant, as demand ramps up.

Use of the pill, Paxlovid, authorized to treat newly infected, at-risk people to prevent severe illness, has soared recently as infections rise.

Biden administration officials have pushed for the wider use of Paxlovid, which the government distributes for free.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)