The first anti-covid drug in the tablet passed the tests. Reduces mortality by half – ČT24 – Czech Television

The third phase of the clinical study showed that five days of treatment with molnupiravir, a medicine developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, reduced the likelihood of hospitalization and death. In the placebo group, 53 patients were hospitalized or died, or 14.1 percent. Of those who received the drug, 28 people were hospitalized or died, or 7.3 percent.

It was a drug like molnupiravir that was desperately lacking for doctors since the onset of the pandemic. A simple product that can be given in the form of a pill and would work against covid has been a dream since the beginning of the pandemic. Researchers have already found drugs that reduce the likelihood of hospitalization (such as remedivir from Gilead), but all must be given intravenously, both in hospitals and in the presence of medical staff.

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“If these results are confirmed, it will change the situation,” Andy Pavia, head of the Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Utah, told STAT News. “But we still have a lot of information to find out – what do its side effects look like? Do we know how to dose it in populations that are different, such as children or obese adults? ”

Merck and Ridgeback have said they will apply to the Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use permit “as soon as possible” and submit it to regulators around the world. They hope that if molnupiravir is approved, it could have a dramatic impact on the pandemic.

Research details

The data from the study have so far only been published in a press release and have not yet gone through the classic review process – yet they are encouraging. During the first 29 days of the study, no deaths were reported in the molnupiravir group and eight deaths were reported in patients receiving placebo.

Patients in the study had mild to moderate covid, were within five days of onset of symptoms at the time of dosing, and had at least one risk factor associated with poor disease progression.

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The study was terminated prematurely on the recommendation of an independent data monitoring committee and in consultation with the FDA, Merck said. The task of these committees is to ensure that studies are in the best interests of patients and to recommend that they be stopped if it is clear that the medicine is effective.

The press release provided only limited information on adverse reactions, but the companies reported that their incidence was similar in the placebo group and in the group of treated patients. “When it comes to the future of covid and that he will be here with us all the time, he doesn’t take much time to address early intervention to reduce the severity of the disease – a very effective tool,” said Natalie Dean, Biostatistics Assistant. at Emory University, which deals with infectious diseases. “The more affordable it is, the more effective it can be.”

More complete data will be available later, according to Merck.

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