Merck & Co and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics have announced the results of their clinical trial for the coronavirus drug, molnupiravir. It would be effective against the virus and reduce the risk of hospitalization by half. What is this treatment? Who can get it? What is the method of administration?
A drug that halves the risk of hospitalization
Hundreds and hundreds of clinical trials have taken place since the start of the pandemic regarding the search for a treatment for Covid-19. After hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin or even remdesevir, it seems that the American pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co is out of the game. According to the intermediate results of its phase 3 clinical trial, molnupiravir seems to have everything about the drug ideal. It is an antiviral, that is to say it prevents the replication of RNA viruses, as for Sars-Cov-2. The laboratory conducted its study on 775 patients with a mild to moderate form of Covid-19 around the world. According to the researchers, the rate of hospitalization and death is reduced by 50% with the intake of the drug. In fact, the figures show that this rate was 7.3% in the patients who received the treatment against 14.1% in those who received the placebo. In addition, the substance would be effective against the variants. However, nothing is specified about the potential side effects in the press release from the pharmaceutical company.
Treatment available to everyone?
At this time, available treatments are only administered to hospitalized intravenous patients, as the CEO of Ridgeback Biotherapeutics explains, “ currently available treatment options are infused and / or require access to a health facility “. The drugs are monoclonal antibodies, such as Tocilizumab or therapy from the Regeneron laboratory, which are specific to Sars-Cov-2. That is why “ antiviral treatments that can be taken at home to keep people with COVID-19 from hospital are badly needed She continues. Indeed, the treatment has two main advantages. On the one hand, it would be four capsules of 200 mg to be taken morning and evening for five days, following a positive test for Covid-19. This mode of administration is perfectly suited to drug intake at home. On the other hand, it would cost much less than the drugs given in the hospital (700 € per dose against more than 2000 €).
In the press release dated Friday, October 1, the Merck laboratory claims that it has applied for marketing authorization for its coronavirus drug, molnupiravir, to the United States Medicines Agency, the FDA. This treatment could be accessible under certain conditions initially, before being available to the general public. Indeed, people with diabetes, obesity or other risk factors may benefit first from treatment. Molnupiravir could then become the first treatment against the coronavirus for the entire population. Indeed, Merck & Co specifies that “ If approved, molnupiravir could be the first oral antiviral drug for COVID-19. “
