Possible Increase in Omeprazole Sales

• Omeprazole (a proton pump inhibitor, or PPI) has been identified as increasing the effectiveness of remdesivir, the first treatment approved for COVID-19 treatment. This will likely increase the demand for products with this ingredient in the U.S.
• Omeprazole increases the activity of remdesivir by 10-fold.
• The amount of increase in sales of omeprazole products will be dependent on how often remdesivir is prescribed. The company that makes remdesivir is preparing for millions of courses to be available soon on the global market.
• If the public is made aware of omeprazole's association with combating COVID-19, sales will increase based on hype. As an example, the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (which has no clinical ability to fight COVID-19) has seen weekly sales increase from 8.5 million to 10.2 million since being declared as a possible treatment by the presidential administration.
• Products in the U.S. based on omeprazole include Prilosec, Prilosec OTC, Omesec, and Zegerid (original formulation).

Increased Obesity Rates Could Fuel Long Term Growth

• The quarantine caused by COVID-19 is causing increased weight gain and obesity, nicknamed the "quarantine 15".
• Rising rates of obesity fuel the demand for PPIs as a result of associated esophageal and gastrointestinal-related diseases.
• Childhood obesity is anticipated to rise as a result of the quarantine, thus increasing the potential customer base for PPIs.

Summary of Early Findings in Relation to Goals