Merck says study shows COVID-19 drug causes virus to shrink rapidly

(Reuters) – U.S. drug maker Merck & Co Inc said on Saturday that the investigational antiviral drug molnupiravir it is developing with Ridgeback Bio showed faster reduction of infectious virus in its Phase 2a study in participants with COVID -19 early.

“The secondary objective results of this study, of a more rapid decrease in infectious virus in people with early-onset COVID-19 treated with molnupiravir, are promising,” said William Fischer, associate professor of medicine at the faculty of medicine. from the University of North Carolina a business statement.

The antiviral is currently being tested in a phase 2/3 trial which is expected to end in May.

Merck decided to focus on therapeutics after its two COVID-19 vaccines failed to generate the desired immune responses, prompting it to drop out of the program in January.