San Francisco
German drug giant Merck and a U.S. partner reported promising results Saturday in trials of an orally administered drug to combat Covid-19, saying it helps reduce viral loads.
“At a time when there is no need to achieve antiviral therapies against SARS-CoV-2, we are encouraged by these preliminary data,” said Wendy Painter, chief medical officer at US company Ridgeback Biotherapeutics .
In January, Merck suspended work on two Covid vaccine candidates but has gone on to investigate two results to treat the disease, including one based on a pill called molnupiravir, which he developed. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.
This drug caused a significant reduction in patients’ viral load after five days of treatment with it, Merck said at a meeting with infectious disease experts.
This Phase 2a test – a three-stage drug test before a result can be agreed – was performed among 202 non-hospital individuals with Covid-19 indications.
No safety warning
There were no safety warnings, and about four serious adverse events reported, none of which were thought to be related to taking this drug, Ridgeback said.
Oral antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are sometimes prescribed for seasonal flu but researchers have yet to fight something like this to fight the coronavirus.
The findings of this study – a more rapid reduction in viral load among individuals with early-stage Covid-19 treated with molnupiravir – are promising, said William Fischer, the study’s lead investigator and senior professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina.
“Supported by further studies, they could have a significant impact on public health, particularly as the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to spread and grow around the world. , “Fischer said.
Merck is also working on another Covid oral treatment called MK-711.
Preliminary results from combined clinical trials show a more than 50 percent reduction in the risk of death or respiratory distress in hospitalized patients with moderate to severe Covid-19, the company said in January.