In the midst of the battle against the Coronavirus, the pharmaceutical company, Merck, has a new oral antiviral pill called Molnupiravir, which promises a convenient and effective treatment for those who have developed symptoms of COVID-19. With approval in Britain and soon other countries, the drug has become the first COVID-19 oral medication.
The pill is meant to be taken twice per day for five days, after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for 3-5 days prior. When someone takes Molnupiravir, the drug enters their bloodstream and inhibits the virus’s function. Because COVID-19 is an RNA virus, Molnupiravir is able to interfere with the replication of the virus’s RNA strands so that the new viruses that are multiplied cannot function as they are supposed to.
The recommended recipients for Molnupiravir, as included in Merck’s clinical trial, are unhospitalised adults with at least one COVID risk factor who have mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms. As of now, children or pregnant women cannot take the medication since they were not represented in the clinical trial.
Unlike other COVID-19 treatments, such as monoclonal antibodies or Remdesivir, Molnupiravir is easy to store and administer. It can be kept with other drug medications and can be prescribed. In addition, Molnupiravir would be free, as the United States is including the drug in its pandemic response plan.
The widespread usage of the Molnupiravir is expected to have multiple beneficial impacts in the fight against COVID-19. Experimental trials of the pill have shown promising results, leading scientists to believe that the new drug will lower risks of hospitalization and death by over fifty percent. The medication being a pill allows for easier transportation across large distances, lowers costs of production, and makes COVID-19 treatment more accessible to poorer communities who struggle to keep the vaccines refrigerated and find qualified volunteers to administer them.
However, concerns have arisen surrounding how the new COVID-19 treatment could lower the number of people receiving vaccinations. Scientists worry that people who are yet to receive the Pfizer, Moderna, or any other vaccine will use the pill as a substitute or an excuse to remain unvaccinated. Jamie Meyer, a Yale Medicine infectious disease specialist, said in an interview about Molnupiravir, “Some people might say, ‘I’m not getting vaccinated because I’ll have access to these medications’—to this pill or to remdesivir or other treatments. But you can’t trade one for the other. If you haven’t done so already, the most important thing is still to get the vaccine.”
As of Thursday, November 4th, regulators in Britain have approved the usage of Molnupiravir for adults experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. This event marks the first authorization of the antiviral to date and is expected to be followed by multiple other countries soon.
Molnupiravir is set to be approved in the United States by the end of this year or early next year, likely in a similar fashion to the previous vaccines — through an emergency-use process. In fact, an FDA advisory committee is planning to meet Nov. 30 to discuss the emergency use process request.
1.2 billion worth of Molnupiravir has been pre-ordered by the United States, eager to distribute the possibly ground-breaking medication. Australia, Singapore, and South Korea have made similar purchases, as Molnupiravir has been licensed to be manufactured internationally by qualified pharmaceutical companies.
Works Cited
Francis, Ellen, and Claire Parker. “Britain authorizes Merck’s molnupiravir, the world’s first approval of oral covid-19 treatment pill.” The Washington Post, 4 Nov. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/04/covid19-pill-merck-molnupiravir-approval-uk/. Accessed 9 Nov. 2021.
Katella, Kathy. “9 Things You Need To Know About the New COVID-19 Pill.” Yale Medicine, 11 Oct. 2021, www.yalemedicine.org/news/9-things-to-know-about-covid-pill. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.
“Merck and Ridgeback’s Investigational Oral Antiviral Molnupiravir Reduced the Risk of Hospitalization or Death by Approximately 50 Percent Compared to Placebo for Patients with Mild or Moderate COVID-19 in Positive Interim Analysis of Phase 3 Study.” Merck, 1 Oct. 2021, www.merck.com/news/merck-and-ridgebacks-investigational-oral-antiviral-molnupiravir-reduced-the-risk-of-hospitalization-or-death-by-approximately-50-percent-compared-to-placebo-for-patients-with-mild-or-moderat/. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.
“Molnupiravir: The Game-Changing Antiviral Pill for COVID-19?” John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, 8 Oct. 2021, publichealth.jhu.edu/2021/molnupiravir-the-game-changing-antiviral-pill-for-covid-19. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.
Neuman, Scott. “Merck will allow drugmakers in other countries to make its COVID-19 pill.” NPR, PBS, 27 Oct. 2021, www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/10/27/1049587575/merck-covid-pill-countries. Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.Pietsch, Bryan. “What to know about the covid-19 treatment molnupiravir.” The Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/10/18/molnupiravir-anti-covid-pill-merck/.