Deena and Michael Erman

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Pfizer Inc (NYSE:), Tuesday announced that its final antiviral COVID-19 drug analysis still demonstrated a near 90% effectiveness in preventing deaths and hospitalizations in high-risk patients. Recent lab data also suggests that the drug is effective against Omicron, a fast-growing variant of coronavirus.

According to interim data from around 1,200 patients, the U.S. drugmaker said that oral medication was 89% more effective than placebo in terms of preventing deaths or hospitalizations. On Tuesday, additional 1000 people were added to the data.

The trial saw no deaths from Pfizer patients, as compared to 12 for placebo.

Pfizer tablets are combined with older antiviral Ritonavir for use every twelve hours, starting shortly after the onset of symptoms. This is done for five consecutive days. The treatment can be called Paxlovid if it is approved.

Pfizer has also published early results from its second clinical trial, which showed that hospitalizations were reduced by approximately 70% in 600 patients at standard risk.

Mikael, chief scientist at Pfizer said that it was a “stunning outcome” in an interview.

We’re talking of a remarkable number of lives saved, and hospitals being avoided. Dolsten stated that if we can quickly deploy these measures after an infection, it is likely to dramatically reduce the transmission of disease.”

Dolsten indicated that he anticipates that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and any other regulatory agencies will soon approve Dolsten’s use for high-risk people. According to Dolsten, he doesn’t believe that an FDA advisory committee meeting is required.

Dolsten stated that “We are in very advanced regulatory dialogs with both Europe, the UK and most major regulatory agencies worldwide.”

The United States has not yet approved any oral antiviral therapies for COVID-9.

Rival Merck & Co has asked for emergency use authorization of its antiviral pill molnupiravir. The drug was only able to reduce the deaths and hospitalizations in the clinical trial with high-risk subjects by about 30%.

Merck’s drug has been criticized by scientists for causing birth defects, and even mutating the virus.

The drug from Pfizer works in a different way. This drug is one of several drugs known as protease inhibitors. It’s used in the treatment of HIV/hepatitis C, and other viral infections.

Dolsten claimed that laboratory testing has shown Omicron variant activity is just as active as SARS-COV-2.

According to the company, 180,000 of its treatment courses can be shipped this year. It also plans to make at least 80,000,000 more by 2022.

Dolsten indicated that Pfizer will continue to grow its vaccine production, as the availability of new Omicron variants like Omicron could increase the need for antivirals. Omicron is not being prevented with current vaccines.

Pfizer is a leading COVID-19 manufacturer with German partner BioNTech. Through a licensing agreement with Medicines Patent Pool (NASDAQ.) (MPP), generic producers will be able to sell the drug in 95 countries of low and middle income. Dolsten indicated that Pfizer will continue to produce the drug for next year.

Already, the U.S. has secured 10,000,000 Pfizer drugs worth $5.29 Billion.