Molnupiravir, an experimental COVID-19 pill from pharmaceutical group Merck & Co., halves the likelihood of hospitalization and death from the disease, the American company said.
The company said it will soon apply for approval for the drug in the US market. If approved, it will be the world’s first COVID-19 drug available to patients. Merck said it will begin negotiations with the US Drug and Nutrition Administration (FDA) in the coming days.
Merck pills react with an enzyme from the coronavirus, which is responsible for copying and replicating its genetic code. The tablet works similarly with other viruses.
In clinical trials, both those who received the experimental pill and placebo reported side effects. The company did not provide further details, only reported that more reports of side effects came from the placebo group.
The US government announced it will purchase 1.7 million doses of the drug if it is approved for use by the FDA. Merck said it could produce 10 million doses of molnupiravir by the end of the year. The price of the tablet is not yet known.
Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Roche Holding AG are also working on a Covid-19 drug.