From being little known to sought after by millions, Pfizer’s oral antiviral Paxlovid is fast becoming the most pursued medicine in China, amid the largest outbreak of COVID-19 infections the world has yet seen.

China’s Center for Drug and Evaluation has issued new guidance on the development of new vaccines and drugs for COVID-19 in which it backs antivirals as a key weapon, while the Politburo has shown no signs of backing away from the country's tough "COVID Zero" policies.

The company announced data showing the two-antibody drug had strong activity against Omicron BA.4, BA.5 and BA.2.12.1, but on the US market it would compete against oral drugs.

As the Communist Party of China gears up for its once in every five years National Congress late this fall, the need for more novel drugs to help address the persistent coronavirus pandemic is rising amid the country’s strict “COVID Zero” policies.