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Pfizer says its Covid pill with HIV drug cuts the risk of hospitalization or death by 89%

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One person passes the Pfizer Building in New York City on March 2, 2021.

Carlo Allegri | Reuters

PfizerFriday’s announcement by Covid-19, a simple-to-administer pill that is combined with an HIV drug widely used, reduced the death or hospitalization rate of high-risk individuals who have been exposed to it.

Now, it’s the second antiviral drug. MerckIt should be able to treat Covid immediately after symptoms appear. It would be an important step in fighting the global pandemic. Pfizer stated that it will submit data to FDA “as quickly as possible.” 

Pfizer’s pill (scientifically known as PF07321332) is part of a category of medicines known as protease inhibitors. This works by inhibiting an enzyme required for the virus to reproduce in cells. You can also use protease inhibitors to combat other viral infections such as HIV/hepatitis C.

Pfizer claims that the HIV drug slows down its metabolism to make it more effective in the body.

Company claims that its drug data is based upon a study of 1 219 people who suffered from at least one serious medical condition, and had a laboratory confirmed infection within the past five days. A low dosage of the HIV medication ritonavir was also administered to participants.

Pfizer stated that there were only six deaths and five hospitalizations among the 607 people who took the HIV medication in combination with the pill. This was within five days from the onset of symptoms. This compares to 41 hospitalizations, 10 deaths and 612 patients who were given a placebo.

Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, stated that the data suggests that the oral antiviral agent, if approved and implemented by regulators, could save lives, decrease the severity of COVID-19 infection, and reduce hospitalizations up to nine times.”

Pfizer and Merck drugs are available to be used by mouth, unlike Gilead Sciences’ intravenous drug Remdesivir. While vaccines still offer the best protection, doctors believe pills like this will prevent infection and help to keep patients from getting worse.

Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said Oct. 1 that they’ve developedA drug which, when taken alone, can reduce the chance of death or hospitalization by approximately 50% in patients suffering from mild to moderate Covid.

Merck’s antiviral medication was approved Britain’s medicines regulator on Thursday

June Raine (chief executive, U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) stated that Merck’s pill will significantly facilitate treatment. Covid,This disease has caused more than 5,000,000 deaths worldwide, and placed immense stress on the health system around the globe.

Bourla stated to CNBC that Pfizer could make the pill available for Americans in April.

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