EXCLUSIVE-EU reaches deals with Roche, Merck for supply of COVID-19 drugs - source

The EU executive agreed to the deal to source Roche's RoActemra and Merck's Rebif for supply to any 27 EU members states willing to buy them, the source who is familiar with the issue told Reuters. Roche and Merck were not immediately available for comment.

The European Commission has reached agreements with pharmaceutical companies Roche and Merck KGaA to supply experimental drugs that can be used to treat COVID-19 patients, a commission source told Reuters on Wednesday. The EU executive agreed to the deal to source Roche's RoActemra and Merck's Rebif for supply to any 27 EU members states willing to buy them, the source who is familiar with the issue told Reuters. The person declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the topic.

The source declined to disclose the terms of the deal. Roche and Merck were not immediately available for comment. A commission spokeswoman was also not immediately available for comment.