Merck will ask regulators to authorize the first antiviral pill designed to treat COVID-19, after a trial found it halved the risk of hospitalization or death

3:59 AM
Capsules of molnupiravir, an antiviral drug developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics that could treat COVID-19
Molnupiravir is an experimental oral antiviral drug developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

Merck

A COVID-19 pill developed by Merck and Ridgeback halved the likelihood of death or hospitalization from the virus in a study, interim results suggest.

The companies said Friday morning that they would apply for emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "as soon as possible," adding that they had stopped recruitment into their study early "due to these positive results."

If they get authorization, their drug, Molnupiravir, would be the first antiviral pill on the market that's designed specifically to treat COVID-19 patients.

This is a developing story.

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