COVID pill cuts risk of death or hospitalisation by half

 

The COVID-19 treatment pill called molnupiravir, which is being developed by Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, can reduce the risk of hospitalisation or death in newly diagnosed patients. 

In a recent international clinical trial of 775 unvaccinated and high-risk people, the drug was shown to cut the risk of hospitalisation or death by approximately one half. 

The data, which was released by Merck, also showed that molnupiravir demonstrated consistent efficacy across the viral variants Gamma, Delta and Mu. 

“With the virus continuing to circulate widely, and because therapeutic options currently available are infused and/or require access to a healthcare facility, antiviral treatments that can be taken at home to keep people with COVID-19 out of the hospital are critically needed,” said Wendy Holman, chief executive officer of Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

Molnupiravir works by stopping the coronavirus from multiplying and destroying more cells. Once metabolised by the body, it incorporates RNA-like building blocks into the virus's genome, which disrupts replication by creating mutations so that the virus can no longer spread.

Based on the data in the company’s release, the drug appears to have a clean safety profile, meaning there were no serious side effects in trial volunteers.

The course of treatment involves four 200-milligram capsules that are taken twice a day for five days after a patient is diagnosed with COVID-19. 

While initial data on molnupiravir proves encouraging, experts have warned that it should not be seen as an alternative to vaccination, which is still the best form of protection against getting COVID-19 in the first place.  

Merck intends to produce 10 million courses of treatment by the end of 2021, with more doses expected to be produced in 2022.