A research team from the University of Tokyo in Japan found in laboratory tests that three antiviral drugs, Molnupiravir, Nirmatrelvir and Remdesivir, are effective against the new coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). Omicron subtype variant BA.2 is effective.
The research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, an American medical journal, the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) said on March 13.
A research team including special professor Kawaoka Yoshihiro of the Institute of Medical Sciences of the University of Tokyo infected the cultured monkey cells with the BA.2 virus. It was found that in order to obtain the same efficacy as the original virus strain, these three antiviral drugs must be improved. 3 times the concentration, but confirmed that they are both effective against BA.2.
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The researchers also said that the other two antibody drugs are effective to some extent, but compared with the original virus strain, the efficacy is only about 1/50 to 1/60.
The research team will further verify the effect of the drug through animal experiments and other methods in the future.
Experiments have shown that antivirals work, Kawaoka said, so it's important to create a system that makes them as accessible as possible.