The Biden administration has ordered an additional 10 million doses of Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid, the company announced Tuesday, doubling the federal government's initial order to 20 million.

What You Need To Know

  • The Biden administration has ordered an additional 10 million doses of Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 treatment, the company announced Tuesday

  • Paxlovid consists of nirmatrelvir, which inhibits a SARS-CoV-2 protein to stop the virus from replicating, and ritonavir, which slows down the drug's breakdown to help it stay in the body at higher concentrations for longer

  • Federal health regulators authorized Paxlovid in December for adults and children 12 years and older (who weigh at least 88 pounds) who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk of severe disease

  • In November, the company reported that the pill cut hospitalizations and deaths by nearly 90% among high-risk adults who had early symptoms of COVID-19

"We may need even more. That's the estimate we need right now," President Joe Biden said Tuesday, confirming the new order.

In November, Pfizer reported that the pill cut hospitalizations and deaths by nearly 90% among high-risk adults who had early symptoms of COVID-19.

In the U.S., the first batch was shipped out on Christmas Eve, Biden said Tuesday.

"Production is in full swing," he said. "The United States has more pills than any other country in the world, and our supplies is going to ramp up over the coming months as more of these pills are manufactured."

Federal health regulators authorized Paxlovid in December for adults and children 12 years and older who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk of severe disease. The pill has also been authorized in a number of countries around the world, including Israel.

"With the Omicron variant surging, the availability of and accessibility to treatment options is of utmost importance, as millions of people are being diagnosed with COVID-19 each and every day," Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a release Tuesday.

"With data showing significant reductions in hospitalizations and deaths, along with the potential for Paxlovid to maintain robust antiviral activity against Omicron, we believe this therapy will be an important tool in the fight against COVID-19," he added.

Paxlovid consists of nirmatrelvir, which inhibits a SARS-CoV-2 protein to stop the virus from replicating, and ritonavir, which slows down the drug's breakdown to help it stay in the body at higher concentrations for longer.

The Biden administration announced in November it had secured 10 million treatment courses of Pfizer's pill in a deal worth $5.295 billion. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.