Pill for Covid: what is antiviral treatment Molnupiravir, how does it work, and who are US drug company Merck?

The first antiviral pill for Covid-19 which can be taken at home has been approved for use in the UK.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid described the approval of the new drug Molnupiravir as an “excellent addition” to the fight against Covid-19.

It was developed by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), and clinical trial data suggests it is most effective when taken during the early stages of infection.

Here’s what you need to know about the drug is and how it works.

What is Molnupiravir?

Molnupiravir is an oral antiviral drug, and is also known as Lagevrio. It is for people who have had a positive test, and have mild to moderate Covid, as well as at least one risk factor for developing severe illness, such as obesity, being over the age of 60, diabetes or heart disease.

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said the drug is safe and effective at reducing the risk of hospital admission and death in people with mild to moderate Covid who are at extra risk from the virus.

How does it work?

The drug works by interfering with the virus’s replication.

It prevents the virus from multiplying, keeping levels low in the body and therefore reducing the severity of the disease.

The MHRA said the drug should be taken as soon as possible following a positive Covid-19 test and within the first five days.

The Government announced last month that it had secured 480,000 courses of Molnupiravir after a study found it cut the rate of hospital admission and death by 50% in mild-to-moderately ill patients who had at least one risk factor for the disease.

In the study, the tablet was given twice a day to patients recently diagnosed with coronavirus.

What has been said about it?

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an anti-viral that can be taken at home for Covid-19.

“This will be a gamechanger for the most vulnerable and the immunosuppressed, who will soon be able to receive the ground-breaking treatment.

“We are working at pace across the Government and with the NHS to set out plans to deploy Molnupiravir to patients through a national study as soon as possible

“This antiviral will be an excellent addition to our armoury against Covid-19, and it remains vital everyone comes forward for their life-saving Covid-19 vaccine – particularly those eligible for a booster – to ensure as many people as possible are protected over the coming months.”

Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive, said: “Following a rigorous review of the data by our expert scientists and clinicians, we are satisfied that Lagevrio (Molnupiravir) is safe and effective for those at risk of developing severe Covid-19 disease and have granted its approval.

“Lagevrio is another therapeutic to add to our armoury against Covid-19.

“It is also the world’s first approved anti-viral for this disease that can be taken by mouth rather than administered intravenously.

“This is important, because it means it can be administered outside of a hospital setting, before Covid-19 has progressed to a severe stage.

“With no compromises on quality, safety and effectiveness, the public can trust that the MHRA has conducted a robust and thorough assessment of the data.”

Who is US firm Merck?

Merck, is a US pharmaceutical company which has its headquarters in New Jersey.

It is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and works on medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases.

The company has been producing Molnupiravir and expects to produce 10 million courses of treatment by the end of 2021, with at least 20 million courses to be produced in 2022.

It previously announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool to increase broad access for the drug in low- and middle-income countries.

Robert Davis, chief executive officer of MSD, said: “The first global authorisation of Molnupiravir is a major achievement in MSD’s singular legacy of bringing forward breakthrough medicines and vaccines to address the world’s greatest health challenges.”

Dr. Dean Y. Li, executive vice president and president, Merck Research Laboratories. said: “As an oral therapeutic, Molnupiravir offers an important addition to the vaccines and medicines deployed so far to counter the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Are there any other pills for Covid being developed?

Yes. A trial of Paxlovid, which is Pfizer’s antiviral drug candidate, found it reduced the risk of hospitalisation or death by 89%. The drug is designed to be taken at the first of infection or at first awareness of an exposure

The firm announced the results of the study on Friday and plans to submit the data as part of its ongoing rolling submission to the U.S. FDA for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) as soon as possible.

Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer said: “Today’s news is a real gamechanger in the global efforts to halt the devastation of this pandemic. These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorized by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients’ lives, reduce the severity of Covid-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalisations,

“Given the continued global impact of Covid-19, we have remained laser-focused on the science and fulfilling our responsibility to help healthcare systems and institutions around the world while ensuring equitable and broad access to people everywhere.”

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going. You can also sign up to our email newsletters and get a curated selection of our best reads to your inbox every day.