Nearly three dozen companies worldwide will soon start making generic versions of Pfizer’s coronavirus pill, the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool that negotiated the deal has said.

The Medicines Patent Pool said in a statement that agreements signed with 35 companies should help make Pfizer’s antiviral nirmatrelvir, or Paxlovoid, available to more than half of the world’s population, AP reported.

“This will make an enormous difference for countries.” said Charles Gore, executive director of the Medicines Patent Pool. He said the availability of the Pfizer drug in some of the world’s poorest countries is especially critical. “They have been at the back of the queue for vaccines, so having a treatment like this in the armoury will be absolutely critical to prevent deaths.”