India (Commonwealth Union)_ Paxlovid is a combination of two antiviral tablets developed by Pfizer: nirmatrelvir and ritonavir. It was the first oral drug for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 to get FDA emergency use authorization (EUA). Paxlovid is approved for use by adults and children weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kg) and who are at least 12 years old. Paxlovid is presently only advised for individuals with a high risk of having a severe COVID-19 infection. People at high risk include the elderly and those with particular medical issues.
The combination of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir in Paxlovid helps cure COVID-19. They are both protease inhibitors, the same class of drug. Nirmatrelvir prevents the COVID-19 virus from replicating itself. The virus depends on the protease enzyme (protein) in our bodies to replicate. Nirmatrelvir temporarily inhibits the activity of this enzyme, preventing the virus from using it to reproduce. Ritonavir slows the breakdown of nirmatrelvir. This prolongs nirmatrelvir’s presence in the body at higher concentrations. Additionally, ritonavir increases the efficacy of nirmatrelvir against COVID-19.
The medication, which was authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat COVID-19, demonstrated 89 percent efficacy in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials when administered within three days of the onset of symptoms. According to a US study, it decreased hospitalization or death by 49 percent among a highly vaccinated group of people over the age of 50. Moreover, the medication’s clinical trial revealed that it is also effective in vaccinated individuals, since 90.3% of participants in the US research had received three or more vaccination doses. However, it may be critical for a small percentage of individuals to become sick and experience severe consequences, despite the extremely high COVID-19 immunization coverage. In addition, the medicine is prescribed only within five days after the start of symptoms.
According to Dr. Shahid Jameel, a prominent virologist affiliated with Green Templeton College at the University of Oxford, “This would be a real-life future situation”. Over the past several months, the medicine has garnered worldwide interest as it has demonstrated efficacy and potential against all forms of SARS CoV 2, including Omicron, and its many sub-variants that have immune escape capabilities and are capable of generating recurrent infections.
According to virologist Dr Gagandeep Kang, lecturer at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, “A treatment that works across all variants, Paxlovid is going to be useful for patients who have risk factors for severe disease”. According to Kang, as the virus has evolved to evade antibodies, monoclonal antibody treatments are no longer effective. Therefore, Paxlovid is the only possible antiviral available, as Molnupiravir, which is another medicine suggested for COVID-19, does not appear to be very effective and raises safety concerns.
The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), an organization supported by the United Nations, stated that it has reached agreements with 35 firms to produce generic versions of Paxlovid for distribution in 95 low- and middle-income nations. There is some optimism that Paxlovid may be effective against long-term COVID, or patients who have prolonged COVID-19 symptoms for weeks, months, or even years after healing from the original infection; however, there is no evidence to support this claim.
According to Jameel, “It is too early to tell if it protects against long COVID-19”. He added that if the medicine clears the infection rapidly, it is likely to also lower long COVID. However, the medication also has some side effects. Some of the common side effects of Paxlovid are taste changes, diarrhea, high blood pressure, and muscle pains. Moreover, Paxlovid might also affect the liver and kidneys. These organs may be harmed by the medication, especially if the person has preexisting conditions.
