Molnupiravir and Paxlovid, all about Merck and Pfizer anti Covid pills
What is known about the anti Covid pills (Molnupiravir and Paxlovid) from Merck and Pfizer.
Pfizer presented its experimental antiviral pill which, according to the company, reduces the risk of contracting Covid in a severe form by 89% and therefore the chances of hospitalization or death among adults. The results appear to surpass those of Merck's American-made drug, Reuters writes .
Antivirals are medicines used to treat influenza and, if taken promptly, can reduce the symptoms, duration of illness and complications of influenza. Paxlovid counteracts an enzyme that the coronavirus needs to replicate by slowing down the activity of the SARS-CoV-2-3CL protease.
THE UK MOVE
The British drug agency has approved molnupiravir, the first anti Covid pill, made by the American giant Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Downing Street last month announced a deal to buy 480,000 doses, after a clinical study in the United States showed that a five-day course halved the risk of hospitalization or death for at-risk patients.
FIRST DELIVERIES
The United Kingdom, which is the first country in the world to have authorized the use of the drug, according to the Guardian , will receive almost half a million doses in a few days, starting in mid-November.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the decision marked a "historic day" as it represents a decisive step forward "for the most vulnerable and immunosuppressed, who will soon be able to receive this innovative treatment."
HOW DOES THE MERCK PILL WORK?
Molnupiravir, the first oral antiviral drug to treat the disease caused by Sars-Cov-2, interferes with the virus's ability to replicate. It is designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus, preventing duplication and thus reducing the risk of causing serious disease.
Furthermore, the drug does not affect the highly mutagenic spike protein of the virus, and this should therefore guarantee constant efficacy regardless of the variants.
WHEN IS IT BEST TO GIVE IT?
Because the drug is most effective when given in the early stages of infection, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recommends using it as soon as possible after a positive test for Covid and within five days after the onset of symptoms.
WHO WILL IT BE GIVEN TO?
Priority will be given to elderly patients and those with particular vulnerabilities, such as in the case of immunosuppressed people. The drug can be prescribed to anyone who tests positive and has at least one risk factor for developing a serious disease, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease. The pill, experts say, must be taken four times a day for five days, at home, without the need for hospitalization or administration under the vigilant medical supervision. However, the Guardian writes, the drug will initially be administered to patients through a national study run by the National Health Service (NHS).
PAXLOVID DOSSIER
Paxlovid, the oral antiviral treatment against Covid-19 developed by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, appears to be able to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death from SARS-CoV-2 by 89% in subjects considered most vulnerable.
Co-administration with a low dose of ritonavir, an antiretroviral drug, helps slow down the metabolism of the active ingredient in Paxlovid, allowing it to stay active in the body for longer periods of time. Pfizer reported the results of the Phase 2/3 clinical trial of the drug. The study, EPIC-HR (Evaluation of Protease Inhibition for Covid-19 in High-Risk Patients), was conducted on a sample of non-hospitalized adult patients who tested positive for new coronavirus infection and considered to be at high risk for a severe course. of the disease. The analysis showed an 89% decreased risk of hospitalization and death from any cause related to Covid-19 in the subjects who received Paxlovid compared to the control group.
THE NUMBERS
0.8% of participants who received the drug were hospitalized within 28 days of administration, compared with 7% of those who took placebo. As of day 28, the scientists report, no deaths were reported among those who received Paxlovid, while 10 placebo-associated patients died as a result of complications. The company's top management underline the commitment to provide all job data to the Food and Drug Administration to apply for approval of the oral antiCovid drug.
Started in September 2021, the clinical trial evaluated data from 1,219 adults, from North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia, who tested positive for new coronavirus infection and characterized by at least one condition associated with a higher risk of develop complications. Participants received either Paxlovid or a placebo orally every 12 hours for five days. 19 and 21 percent of those taking the drug or placebo, respectively, reported side effects, most of which were mild.
EXPERIMENTAL THERAPY
Paxlovid, the experts explain, is an experimental antiviral therapy with a SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitor, designed to be administered orally so that it can be prescribed at the first sign of infection or with known exposure to the pathogen.
This could limit the risk of serious courses that could lead to hospitalization or death. The drug counteracts the activity of SARS-CoV-2-3CL protease, an enzyme that the coronavirus needs to replicate. Co-administration with a low dose of ritonavir, an antiretroviral drug, helps slow down the metabolism of the active ingredient in Paxlovid, allowing it to stay active in the body for longer periods of time. Pfizer has initiated Phase 2/3 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
"The risks and uncertainties of these data – write the scientists, as underlined by an in- depth analysis of the Agi – could alter the final results, such as the efficacy, safety and tolerability profile observed to date, but for now the preliminary data are very encouraging ".
BASSETTI'S ANALYSIS
How do the new antivirals work? Matteo Bassetti (director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic at the San Martino Hospital in Genoa and professor at the University) replied to Corriere della Sera : "A premise: we already use a known antiviral, remdesivir, in hospital patients, administered for drip: reduces mortality and complications. These new ones, on the other hand, are tablets that can be administered by mouth. And at home too. Molnupiravir, produced by the American company Merck, can reduce hospitalizations by 50% in people who take it when they have symptoms of Covid, certified by a molecular swab. But the interesting thing is that this drug also works when the symptoms are related to the flu ».
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/sanita/molnupiravir-e-paxlovid-pillole-anti-covid/ on Sat, 06 Nov 2021 09:39:10 +0000.