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  • The Hawkeye

COVID-19 Pill

Updated: Nov 17, 2021

By Ella Wanzer, Managing Editor


A new antiviral treatment administered by pill may help lessen COVID-19 related symptoms, especially for unvaccinated individuals. A study conducted by the producers of the drug, Merck and Ridgeback have released results from the study, supporting their claim that the pill could limit the amount of death and hospitalization caused by COVID-19.

The pill was invented by a non-profit company, Drug Innovations at Emory, owned by Emory University, and is being developed by Merck and Ridgeback, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies respectively. The antiviral creates mutations in COVID-19’s genetic code, which stops the correct replication of the virus. This treatment is called a nucleoside and causes the virus to gradually die out, thereby preventing symptoms from getting even more severe.

“With the virus continuing to circulate widely, and because therapeutic options currently available are infused and/or require access to a healthcare facility, antiviral treatments that can be taken at home to keep people with COVID-19 out of the hospital are critically needed...We are very encouraged by the results from the interim analysis and hope molnupiravir, if authorized for use, can make a profound impact in controlling the pandemic.” Chief executive officer of Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, Wendy Holman said.

The study consisted of 775 adults with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, who all had at least one risk factor that may have led to complications such as heart disease, diabetes, or any vascular issues. The pill was taken early in the progression of the virus, with four pills twice a day over the course of five days. Seven percent of those who received the treatment were hospitalized, compared to fourteen percent of hospitalizations in those who received the placebo

The pill could be incredibly useful for those unvaccinated who contract the disease, as well as vaccinated individuals who are at high risk for complications. Although vaccines like those produced by Moderna and Pfizer have been shown to reduce death and hospitalization rates as well as stop people from getting COVID-19 altogether, there is still a risk that these protective measures may fail. Variants of the virus also pose an added risk as well.

There has been some speculation that the pill may cause a slight increase in risk for cell mutation that may lead to cancer. A study at the University of North Carolina revealed that hamster cells who were exposed to the treatment had a slightly higher risk of forming these mutations than those who did not.

I’m not against them giving out the drug...What I would like to see the FDA require is that they limit it to people who would really benefit.” Ronald SwanstromOne of the authors of the UNC study said.

Merck released a statement in response to UNC’s study claiming that cell experiments conducted in a lab on DNA were not indicative of how actual animals would respond to the pill, especially humans. UNC continued to encourage that more studies be conducted on the pill before it is approved for public use.

Despite any controversy surrounding the possible side effects of the pill, it has still been presented for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has decided to assemble an advisory committee to weigh the risk of the drug and will host a public forum to discuss concerns surrounding the approval of the pill. A hearing will be held on November 30 to assess the data surrounding the use of the treatment in mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 in adults. Unlike their approval of the vaccine, which was expedited due to the severity of the pandemic and was not reviewed by an advisory committee, it is likely the FDA will not make a ruling until December.

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