Oral medication using the antiviral drug Molnupiravir could halve the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization or death by approximately 50%. That’s according to MERCK and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics after completing a trial of their product. Now if a tablet could halve severe COVID symptoms, then this would be a remarkable step forward. Especially if high risk patients could administer it at home.
A Small Trial Could Lead to a Major Breakthrough
Molnupiravir is an experimental, orally-active antiviral drug for treating influenza. Emory University in Atlanta, Georgie developed it, but transferred the rights to Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. They then partnered with MERCK to develop the drug further.
MERCK trialed Molnupiravir on 773 patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 infections. These were at potentially high risk of becoming severely ill, due to comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
1… Half received a five-day course of Molnupiravir in the form of small capsules twice a day.
2… The other half received an inactive placebo, although they were unaware this was happening.
3… Some 7% of the Molnupiravir group were hospitalized, but there were no deaths.
4…. However, 14% of the placebo group went to hospital where eight of them died.
The random split-half method of experimental, and control groups reduces the chances of subjects’ expectations influencing results. The lack of medication in the control group did not cause the eight deaths. However its a sadness, it might have prevented them if it were given.
The Tablet Could be Halving Severe COVID Symptoms Soon
Molnupiravir already has approval for treating Influenza in humans, according to The Guardian on October 1, 2021. This means its benefits outweigh any risks of side effects. Therefore all that’s required now is for Food and Drug Administration to approve if for treating COVID-19 too.
Having a tablet that could halve severe COVID symptoms could be a seminal moment on the road to control the coronavirus. ‘It exceeded what I thought the drug might be able to do in this clinical trial,’ says Dean Li. The vice-president of MERCK research continues ‘When you see 50% reduction in hospitalization or death, that’s a substantial clinical impact.’
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Preview Image: U.S. National Library of Medicine
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Announcement by MERCK and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics
