UK approves Merck's Molnupiravir COVID-19 treatment pill: Here's all you need to know

Giving a major boost to the fight against coronavirus pandemic, on Thursday, 4 November 2021, Britain became the very first country in the world to give a nod to the oral antiviral medicine developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. 

The drug has been authorized for the treatment of persons aged 18 and above who have mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness. The risk factors can include obesity, heart disease or diabetes. As per the AP reports, the pill may be taken twice a day for five consecutive days, although it isn't yet clear as to when the pill will be available for treatment. 

Robert M. Davis, Chief Executive Officer and president, Merck, said that the first global authorization of Molnupiravir drug can be termed as a breakthrough move in addressing the world’s greatest health challenge. 

“The first global authorization of Molnupiravir is a major achievement in Merck’s singular legacy of bringing forward breakthrough medicines and vaccines to address the world’s greatest health challenges. In pursuit of Merck’s unwavering mission to save and improve lives, we will continue to move with both rigour and urgency to bring Molnupiravir to patients around the world as quickly as possible,” he said.

Dr Dean Y. Li, Executive Vice President, Merck Research Laboratories, said that the oral antiviral medicine is a very significant addition to all the vaccines and medicines that have been deployed so far to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

“As an oral therapeutic, Molnupiravir offers an important addition to the vaccines and medicines deployed so far to counter the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr Dean Y. Li, executive vice president and president, Merck Research Laboratories. “We are very grateful to the investigators, patients and their families for their critical contributions to the MOVe-OUT study that made this authorization possible.”

Approval of anti-viral pill, a game-changer move

The approval of an antiviral pill, that has the ability to speed up recovery and reduce coronavirus symptoms, could prove to be a game-changer move as it can help control the spread of contagion, lessen caseload on hospitals and also strengthen the only approach to combat pandemic in the world as of now, which is either by prevention or vaccination.

The antiviral drug, Molnupiravir is also pending to be reviewed in the United States and the European Union for the treatment of COVID-19 immediately after a person contracts the virus.

The United States Food and Drug Administration last month announced that it would call a panel of experts to inspect and examine the effectiveness of the pill in late November.

U.K. officials, in October, had announced a deal with Merck to secure 480,000 courses of Molnupiravir.

“Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for COVID-19,” said Britain’s health secretary, Sajid Javid.

“We are working at pace across the government and with the NHS to set out plans to deploy Molnupiravir to patients through a national study as soon as possible,” he said in a statement.

(With AP Inputs)