Healthcare: Pfizer Begins trial of oral Drug for Prevention of Covid-19

New Delhi: The American multinational pharmaceutical company preparing to add new solution to fight covid-19. In the race to produce an oral antiviral drug for the prevention of Covid-19 infection, Pfizer Inc has begun its trials for the drug among those who have been exposed to the virus.

According to a media report, other drugmakers including US-based Merck & Co Inc and Swiss pharmaceutical Roche Holding AG are trying to develop an easy-to-administer antiviral pill for Covid-19.

Trials of a pill for covid-19 focusing that testing Pfizer’s drug ‘PF-07321332’, in up to 2,660 healthy adult participants aged 18 and older. Such participants will belong to the same household and shown confirmed symptomatic Covid-19 infection. The trial will analyze the drug PF-07321332, designed to block the activity of a key enzyme needed for the coronavirus to multiply.

One-third of patients in the trial will receive a placebo, while the remaining people will be given a dose of the drug twice a day for either five or 10 days. The drug will be administered accompanied by a low dose of ritonavir, an older medication widely used in combination treatments for HIV infection.

As of now, Gilead Sciences Inc’s intravenous drug redeliver is the only antiviral treatment approved for Covid-19 in the United States. Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics also launched a late-stage trial of their experimental drug molnupiravir for prevention of the Covid-19 infection.

(Vinayak)