A new pill designed to treat active COVID-19 infections was just approved by the UK, the first country to do so
Merck
- The UK is the first country to authorize the use of Merck's COVID-19 antiviral, molnupiravir.
- The pill is the first drug on the market designed specifically to target active COVID-19 infections.
- Merck has requested authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The UK has become the first country to authorize a new antiviral pill designed specifically to treat COVID-19 infections.
The pill, developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, was found to halve the likelihood of death or hospitalization from COVID-19 during clinical trials.
In a statement early Thursday, Merck said that the UK government has ordered 480,000 courses of the drug, molnupiravir, while the US government has ordered 1.7 million courses. Merck is currently seeking approval for molnupiravir from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Experts say the drug could prove to be a "game-changer" if it can stop the virus before making someone very sick. It also has the advantage of being an oral drug, which means you don't need to be in a hospital or clinic to take it.
The UK's authorization of the drug is based on results from a recent trial, which tested the pills on 775 adults with mild to moderate COVID-19, Insider previously reported. Of this group, 7% who received the pill were hospitalized or died, compared with 14% of those who got a placebo, Merck and Ridgeback said last month.
Analysts are estimating that Merck will make around $22 billion in revenue from selling molnupiravir across the world over the next ten years. The US has agreed to pay $712 per treatment course but the cost varies from country to country.
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/3q6vKXZ
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