"Promising" Corona drug: First deliveries soon - "Covid will slowly lose its horror"

Created: 12/29/2021, 05:41 AM

By: Patrick Mayer

Thoughtful: Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).

© Omer Messinger / AFP

The federal government and Karl Lauterbach procure a new drug against Covid-19.

The Minister of Health has high hopes for the active ingredient against Corona.

And not only that.

Munich / Berlin - With this drug against the insidious corona virus, the federal government finally wants to relieve the intensive care units and clinics in the pandemic.

Germany has bought a million packs of the drug Paxlovid from the US company Pfizer.

It is said to be particularly effective against severe Covid courses.

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) said this on Tuesday (December 28) to the

in Berlin.

Paxlovid: Germany is buying a million packs of corona drug

The head of department continued with the first deliveries expected in January. “The drug is extremely promising because it can significantly weaken the severe course of Covid when given early. I expect that we will be able to prevent numerous severe courses in the intensive care units, ”said Lauterbach in a statement.

The SPD politician said that the SPD politician continued: "Slowly, through a combination of increasingly effective vaccines and treatment options, Covid is becoming a disease that will lose its horror." worked together to develop the appropriate drugs, explained the Rhinelander and said: "I would prefer that we wage this fight with quick vaccinations and effective drugs than that we have to close the schools."

Corona drug: Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has high hopes for Paxlovid

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency approval for the drug shortly before Christmas.

According to the FDA, it is the first Covid drug in the USA that can be taken in tablet form.

Lauterbach also announced an emergency approval: "So that Paxlovid can be used immediately upon delivery, I initiated the procedure for emergency approval in Germany together with the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices," he said.

The drug is extremely promising.

Karl Lauterbach (SPD) on Paxlovid

According to the manufacturer, patients take three tablets twice a day for five days. All tablets are in a pack that corresponds to a treatment cycle. The federal government and manufacturers are therefore not talking about one million packages ordered, but about one million “treatment units” or “treatment cycles”. Paxlovid consists, among other things, of the active ingredient Nirmatrelvir, which inhibits a Sars-CoV-2 protein. This is to stop the virus from multiplying.

The EU Medicines Agency EMA recently commented on the drug.

According to this, adult patients who do not need additional oxygen and who have an increased risk of a severe course could be treated with Paxlovid.

The drug has not yet been officially approved in the EU, but testing is ongoing.

According to information from Pfizer from the beginning of November, the corona pills are very successful in preventing severe disease courses in high-risk patients.

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An interim analysis of test results found the drug reduced the risk of hospital admissions and death in Covid-19 patients by 89 percent, according to Pfizer.

Possible side effects include impaired taste, diarrhea, high blood pressure, and muscle pain.

Health expert and Minister Lauterbach was very enthusiastic about the active ingredient, at least shortly before New Year's Eve.

The new glimmer of hope in the coronavirus pandemic, which is once again determined by strict rules?