Finally, pills to treat COVID-19!

Vaccines have been the primary antidote in the battle against Covid-19 to date, but we could have at least two game-changers in the form of American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer’s antiviral pill Paxlovid, and Molnupiravir, manufactured by Merck, Sharp and Dohme, and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

Pfizer, one of the primary players in the Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing race, with over 2.5 billion doses administered, now has an antiviral pill to treat the infection.

The preliminary data of Pfizer’s experimental antiviral pill to treat Covid-19 shows an 89 per cent decrease in the chance of hospitalization or death for adults at risk of severe disease.

Molnupiravir was actually the first oral tablet developed for the treatment of symptomatic Covid-19 patients.

Initial data on the pill shows it can cut down hospitalizations by half.

Both Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s Molnupiravir are pills to be taken orally.

Neither pill can be taken as a preventive measure. It is to be consumed only by people who test positive for Covid-19 and show symptoms.

The clinical trial for Pfizer’s Paxlovid examined 1,219 patients with mild to moderate Covid-19, and the pill lowered the chances of hospitalization or deaths for adults by 89 per cent.

Merck manufactured Molnupiravir was administered to 775 patients who tested positive for Covid-19.

Among patients receiving Molnupiravir, only 7.3 per cent were hospitalized and none developed a fatal infection.

What is the regimen of the pills?
Three pills of Pfizer’s Paxlovid must be given twice a day to patients diagnosed with Covid-19. The pills must be administered within three to five days of the onset of infection.

Four pills of Merck’s Molnupiravir must be given twice a day to patients diagnosed with Covid-19. It must be administered within five days of the onset of infection.

What do we know about the price of these pills?
Reports suggest that countries across the globe are currently negotiating prices with both Pfizer and Merck.

A World Health Organization-led program is working to provide these antiviral drugs at as low as ten dollars per course, according to Reuters.

Where do countries stand on pills to treat Covid-19?
The United Kingdom has become the first country to approve the antiviral drug Molnupiravir. It has agreed to purchase 4,80,000 courses with first deliveries in November, as per the BBC.

The UK has also ordered 2,50,000 courses of Pfizer’s Paxlovid.

While Pfizer is yet to submit interim trial data to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US government has secured millions of doses of Pfizer’s drug, as per a Reuters report.

When will the pills be available in India?
Cipla, Dr Reddy’s, Emcure, Sun and Torrent are collaborating with Merck for clinical trials of Molnupiravir in India.
Pfizer is also keen on ensuring equitable access to Paxlovid for all people across countries.

While vaccines are a precautionary measure in the fight against Covid-19, pills that slash the risk of severe infection will bolster the world’s therapeutic arsenal against the virus.

Up until now, medicines being used to manage the infection are repurposed drugs like Remdesivir, Tocilizumab, Dexamethasone, Budesonide etc.

A number of trials worldwide are seeking to identify repurposed treatments that could be beneficial for Covid-19 patients. The two new antivirals are specifically to treat Covid-19. India Today