• US coronavirus cases surpass 46 million. Source
• Pfizer increases its projection for annual sales of its coronavirus vaccine from $33.5 billion to $36 billion; it expects to manufacture 3 billion doses, delivering 2.3 billion of them by the end of 2021. In 2022, Pfizer anticipates $29 billion in revenue, based on signed agreements for 1.7 billion doses as of October 2021; it plans to produce 4 billion doses of the October. Moderna expects to reach $20 billion in revenue from its coronavirus vaccine in 2021, based on production of 800 million to 1 billion doses. Source
• The New York Times reports that Pfizer’s Chief Executive, Dr. Albert Bourla, said that most of the company’s negotiations for its coronavirus vaccine are with high- and upper-middle-income countries. He said he was concerned that poorer countries and their proxies “…will be behind in their deliveries because they didn’t place their orders.” Although Pfizer says it has discounted prices for poorer countries, many still cannot afford to purchase the vaccine, relying on COVAX and donations from high-income countries.
Pfizer, which splits vaccine revenues with development partner BioNTech, expects a profit margin in the high 20 percent range in 2022.next year. The company may generate additional earnings from an oral antiviral it is developing for high-risk COVID patients within days of symptoms. A Pfizer executive, Angela Hwang, said it company sees a market of up to 150 million people for the pill. Source
• Eli Lilly will supply 614,000 doses of its monoclonal antibody combination, bamlanivimab with etesevimab to the US government by 31 January 2022; the company will be paid $1.29 billion. Source
• In Russia, where less than half of all adults have been vaccinated, the daily death toll from COVID-19 hits a record high of 1,178. Source
• China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a statement calling on families and local governments to stock up on food and other daily necessities as the country implements strict measures to stamp out COVID-19. Source