Pfizer Inc said on Friday that its experimental antiviral pill for Covid cut rates of hospitalisation and death by nearly 90 per cent, as the drugmaker joins the race to bring the first easy-to-use medication against Covid to the US market.
Currently all Covid treatments used in the US require an IV or injection. Competitor Merck’s pill is already under review at the Food and Drug Administration after showing strong initial results and, on Thursday, the UK became the first country to approve it.
FDA decision
Pfizer said it will ask the FDA and international regulators to authorise its pill as soon as possible, after independent experts recommended halting the company’s study based on the strength of its results. Once Pfizer applies, the FDA could make a decision within weeks or months.
Researchers worldwide have been racing to find a pill against Covid that can be taken at home to ease symptoms, speed recovery and reduce the crushing burden on hospitals and doctors.
Pfizer released preliminary results on Friday of its study of 775 adults. Patients taking the company’s drug, along with another antiviral, had an 89 per cent reduction in their combined rate of hospitalisation or death after a month, compared to patients taking a dummy pill.