Merck seeks first US FDA authorisation for Covid-19 tablet
Viral sequencing done so far have showed it is effective against all coronavirus variants, including Delta, Merck said
Merck & Co Inc said on Monday it has applied for US emergency use authorisation for its tablet to treat mild-to-moderate patients of Covid-19, putting it on course to become the first oral antiviral medication for the disease.
Its authorisation could help change clinical management of Covid-19 as the pill can be taken at home. The treatment, molnupiravir, could halve the chances of death or being hospitalized for those most at risk of contracting severe Covid-19, according to the drugmaker.
Viral sequencing done so far have showed it is effective against all coronavirus variants, including Delta, Merck said.
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The interim efficacy data on the drug, which has been developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, had heavily impacted the shares of Covid-19 vacine makers when it was released last week.
Existing drugs include Gilead Sciences Inc's infused antiviral remdesivir and generic steroid dexamethasone, both of which are generally only given once a patient has already been hospitalized.
Meanwhile, monoclonal antibody drugs from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Eli Lilly have so far seen only limited uptake due to the difficulty in administering them.
