oral antiviral therapy for COVID-19. According to the statement released by Merck on Friday, a review of phase three studies revealed that 7.3% of patients who received Merk’s medication were hospitalized within 29 days. Each research participant was unvaccinated and had at least one underlying medical condition that enhanced their risk of getting a more severe COVID-19 infection. Obesity, diabetes, cardiac disease, and age above 60 were among the most prevalent health factors among participants.
More than 170 sites throughout the world participated in the study, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan, and South Africa. 14.1 percent of research participants who got a placebo were hospitalized or died by the trial’s end. During the trial period, no deaths were recorded in patients who received Molnupiravir, whereas eight deaths were documented in individuals who received placebos. Scott Gottlieb, Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, spoke to the media about Merk’s oral pill. He said, “This is a phenomenal result, I mean this is a profound game-changer to have an oral pill that had this kind of effect”.
Robert M. Davis, CEO and president of Merck, spoke about the role of the oral pill in battling the pandemic. He released a statement saying, “With these compelling results, we are optimistic that Molnupiravir can become an important medicine as part of the global effort to fight the pandemic and will add to Merck’s unique legacy of bringing forward breakthroughs in infectious diseases when they are needed most”. Merck said, “Consistent with Merck’s unwavering commitment to save and improve lives, we will continue to work with regulatory agencies on our applications and do everything we can to bring Molnupiravir to patients as quickly as possible”.
