China gives conditional approval for Pfizer’s Covid drug Paxlovid

China’s medical products regulator said on Saturday it has given conditional approval for Pfizer’s Covid-19 treatment Paxlovid, making it the first oral anti-coronavirus pill approved in the country to treat the disease.

The National Medical Products Administration said Paxlovid has obtained conditional approval to treat adults who have mild to moderate Covid-19 and high risk of progressing to a severe condition. Further study on the drug needed to be conducted and submitted to the authority, it said.

It is not immediately clear if China is already in talks with Pfizer to procure the pill. Pfizer did not reply to a Reuters request for comment.