Corona pill before approval? Possible side effect causes a stir - Munich expert reassures

So far, vaccinations have been the best protection against Covid-19.

But soon a pill could come on the market that declares war on the coronavirus.

If it weren't for a possible side effect.

Munich - Throw in a pill quickly and show the corona virus a long nose - that sounds almost heavenly.

And it would be the next big step towards the end of the pandemic.

But it may take longer than recent reports to suggest.

Science is meanwhile placing great hopes in the corona drug molnupiravir.

The manufacturer, the US pharmaceutical company Merck, is aiming for an emergency approval in the USA as soon as possible and then wants to bring its preparation onto the market all over the world.

Studies apparently suggest a high level of effectiveness.

The risk of hospitalization for people with a high risk of severe disease should be halved by taking it.

Corona tablet Molnupiravir: Less effort and associated with lower costs

Especially for people who respect syringes, the pill could be the salvation, as they can avoid a vaccination.

Because: Molnupiravir is swallowed.

A big advantage over previously approved drugs, because these "have to be used as intravenous infusions and thus in hospitals", explains infectious agent Christoph Spinner from the Technical University of Munich to the

BR

.

The effort would therefore be significantly lower and costs would be saved.

Yes, bring it up quickly, some might think.

Even in the face of more and more Covid victims and with a fourth wave of infections in mind, nothing should be rushed.

Because now the big but follows.

One study at least raised the suspicion that a component of the drug could damage the human genome.

+

They contain the corona pill: Molnupiravir is portioned in capsules and should be approved as soon as possible.

© Merck & Co. / afp

Corona tablet Molnupiravir: drug could change human DNA as well as RNA

Actually, the drug should only force the wrong building blocks on the virus so that it can no longer spread.

But in addition to its RNA, human DNA could also be changed.

A team of researchers from the University of North Carolina, led by Ronald Swanstrom, showed that the drug also causes mutations in cell cultures derived from hamsters.

Merck had emphasized in the spring that no evidence of such undesirable side effects had been found in animal experiments, even with high doses of molnupiravir.

Yet science is now startled.

“That would be a dangerous thing, of course, because you don't want to intervene in the DNA in the human body because that can lead to all sorts of subsequent problems,” explained Patrick Cramer, molecular biologist and director at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen , the

BR

.

Corona tablet Molnupiravir: Munich infectiologist sees the risk of DNA mutation as unlikely

Now it must first be ruled out that the DNA could also mutate.

Spinner thinks this is unlikely.

Such active ingredients are “usually highly specific.

That means they cannot work everywhere.

Because they have to get to the place where DNA is processed (...). ”In addition to the various study phases, he is also encouraged by the short intake time, because according to the current state of research, only eight tablets need to be swallowed for five days.

That's actually a lot of good news.

And yet all the more attention is now being paid to how vigorously the authorities are scrutinizing molnupiravir before it is possibly given the green light.

So a little patience is required before the tablet against Covid can be ready to hand.

(mg)

List of rubric lists: © Merck & Co. / afp