Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus in treating the coronavirus has shifted from intravenous antibody treatments – some of which have proven to be less effective against the omicron variant – to oral antiviral pills, which many experts believe could be a game-changer in fighting the disease.
Federal health regulators have authorized two pills to treat COVID-19: One from Pfizer, known as Paxlovid, and the other from Merck Pharmaceuticals, called Molnupiravir.
Merck is currently conducting a clinical trial to "test the safety and effectiveness" of its antiviral drug "for people who live with someone who has COVID-19" to see if the drug is safe to use and can prevent COVID-19 from spreading from one person to another.
Researchers, like Dr. Fabian Sandivol with the Emerson Clinical Research Institute, looking to see if the pill could prevent someone from catching the virus from someone at home.
“We have to think of not just ourselves but those that live with us, because we can put their lives at risk,” said Dr. Sandivol in an interview with Spectrum News at a laboratory in Washington, D.C.
“Having a vaccine is fantastic, having treatment is fantastic and now having medication that can prevent you from getting sick, that’s the trifecta, that’s what we’re looking to have,” he said.
The FDA recently limited the use of some monoclonal antibody treatments after data showed they weren’t as effective against the omicron variant as they are against other strains. That’s made the search for effective antiviral pills even more important; Merck and Pfizer have both said their antivirals work against omicron.
The White House said it’s encouraging to see the development of more treatments.
“It’s in some ways similar to what we do for the flu, when we give someone Tamiflu or Oseltamivir, part of the reason is if you’re in close contact with someone that has the flu, you can prevent someone from getting sick with the flu on the front end,” said Dr. Cameron Webb, a White House Senior Policy Advisor for COVID-19, told Spectrum News.
“If we end up with similar options for COVID-19 that certainly can be helpful in our fight to end this pandemic,” Dr. Webb added.
Typically after a clinical trial, it’s standard for the company to either file for emergency use or full FDA approval of the drug, even if it has already been emergency authorized for a different purpose. Although the clinical trial is ongoing, doctors say the initial indications are encouraging.
“We saw that the medication we were studying really was working for the treated patients and now I’m seeing the same effect for the patients that are receiving it as a preventative measure,” Dr. Sandivol said.
Updated clinical trial data from November of 2021 showed that molnupiravir is 30% effective at preventing hospitalization or death. Initial results released in October of 2021, the month prior, said the pill was 50% effective.
The hope now is it's even more effective in stopping the virus in its tracks.
“This medication definitely has some great outcome to prevent people from getting sick,” Dr. Sandivol said.