Drugmaker seeks emergency authorization for COVID-19 pill

Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics released trial results showing that a drug called molnupiravir reduces hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 nearly by half. In the trial, 14.1 percent of participants who took a placebo either were hospitalized or died within a 30-day period, compared with only 7.3 percent in the group that took the oral drug. Merck halted the study early to apply for authorization of the drug on the advice of independent medical experts. They said that early results exceeded expectations and indicated that molnupiravir is highly effective against COVID-19. The results have not been peer reviewed. Merck will submit data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the coming days.

How does it work? Molnupiravir is an oral antiviral drug originally developed in the early 2000s to combat Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. In Merck’s study, 775 unvaccinated adults with mild to moderate coronavirus symptoms took eight pills per day for at least five days. All the participants were considered higher risk for severe COVID-19 due to factors such as obesity, diabetes, or heart conditions. Merck hopes that an oral treatment people can take at home will relieve strain on hospital systems. The U.S. government promised in June to buy 1.7 million doses if the FDA approves molnupiravir.

Dig deeper: Read a Saturday Series report from medical correspondent Dr. Charles Horton that reviewed an alternative medical organization’s claims on COVID-19 treatment.