More than 145 medicinal substances are being examined by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Producers (IFMPA) today, in Geneva, as part of a race by pharmaceutical companies to find treatments for Covid-19 disease.
Among the possible treatments, 77 of the treatments are being developed for treatment of other diseases, and 68 are new, the president of the association, Thomas Siony, said.
Executives from major pharmaceutical companies stressed in the press briefing that companies cooperate with each other and exchange information to accelerate the pace of research and development.
Sioni added that the traditionally fierce competition parties in the drug industry are cooperating.
Companies are working in various ways to combat the emerging coronavirus, which has killed more than 200,000 people since it appeared in China late last year.
As Pfizer Pharmaceuticals seeks to find a way to stop the virus from replicating, CSL Behring and Takeda have joined forces to develop immunotherapy using a mixture of antibodies from many who have recovered from the disease.
Other companies rely on the drugs that already exist. AstraZinka is conducting a blood cancer drug, which is being tested to prevent lung insufficiency for Covid-19 patients.
Sandoz is collecting data on the malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, as it is being tested as a possible treatment for people with coronavirus.
The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Associations and Producers has pledged to work with governments to make large-scale drug production operations, providing them at reasonable prices.