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Covid-19: promising results for Merck's drug

2021-03-06T21:19:24.017Z


Molnupiravir is believed to lower the viral load of infected people. Testing should continue before a possible commercial


While Merck has abandoned its vaccine plans, it has not abandoned its Covid-19 drug project.

Better: the pharmaceutical giant announced on Saturday progress in the design of such a drug, administered orally.

Their antiviral, currently being tested, had positive effects in reducing viral load.

"Knowing that there is an unmet need for antiviral treatments for SARS-CoV-2, we are encouraged by these preliminary results," said Wendy Painter, chief drug officer at Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, in a statement.

Molnupiravir - this is the name of the drug -, developed with the American company Ridgeback Bio, significantly reduced the viral load in patients after five days of treatment, the company said on Saturday in a survey. meeting with infectious disease specialists.

Concretely, by reducing the viral load, we reduce the risk of complications because the virus is less virulent.

"Important consequences in terms of public health"

Phase 2a of the test (the trials have three phases before possible marketing) was carried out on 202 out-of-hospital patients, having Covid-19 with symptoms.

There was no alert in terms of safety, and "out of the four serious incidents reported, none was considered in connection with the drug studied," said the laboratory.

The results of this study, "namely a more rapid decrease in the viral load in individuals with Covid-19 in the initial phase and who have received molnupiravir, are promising", assured William Fischer, one of the directors of the 'study.

“If reinforced by additional studies, they could have significant public health consequences as the virus continues to spread and evolve around the world.

"

Merck is also working on a treatment called MK-711.

The first results of clinical trials show a reduction of more than 50% in the risk of death or respiratory failure in hospitalized patients with moderate to severe forms of Covid-19, the group said at the end of January.

Source: leparis

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