Reduces the risk of death. First drug to treat corona pending approval

The race continues between doctors, scientists and pharmaceutical companies to develop an effective treatment for COVID-19.

In what is new in this scientific race, experts have announced that a drug in the form of tablets developed by the American pharmaceutical company “Merck” represents a breakthrough in the treatment of the Corona virus, due to its ability to reduce the risks death or death. the need for half a hospital transfer for those most vulnerable to severe symptoms of Covid-19, according to Reuters.

Emergency use authorization

If approved, molnopiravir tablets, which are designed to implant errors in the virus’s genetic code, will be the first oral antiviral drug to treat COVID-19.

Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics are also planning to obtain emergency use authorization in the United States as soon as possible and to file applications with drug regulatory authorities around the world.

For his part, Robert Davis, CEO of Merck, told Reuters that this treatment will fundamentally change the methods of controlling Covid-19.

“The rules of the game will change.”

Current treatment options include the antiviral remdesivir produced by Gilead and dexamethasone, which is a steroid, but these are not given until the patient has already been admitted to the hospital.

In turn, Amish Adalja, senior researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, stressed that “the rules of the game will change due to oral antivirals which can affect the risk of hospitalization to that extent.”

Adalja added that current treatments are “heavy and logistically difficult. A simple oral tablet would be the opposite.”

Merck shares soar

It should be noted that due to the positive results, Merck stock rose more than 9% at the start of trading in New York and a third phase experiment was halted on the recommendation of external observers.

In contrast, shares of Pfizer fell 3% and Moderna fell 10%, which are two manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines, on which Michael Yee, biotechnology analyst at Jefferies, commented, saying this indicates investor conviction. that “People will be less afraid of Covid and less inclined to get vaccinated.” In the case of a simple pill that can cure the disease. “