The experimental COVID-19 treatment developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics eliminated the novel coronavirus in clinical trial participants with symptomatic COVID-19 after five days of treatment, the drugmakers announced March 6.
The announcement is based on early data from a phase 2a clinical trial that involved 202 non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The pill, molnupiravir, was well tolerated by the participants and significantly reduced their viral load.
The drugmakers are continuing to study the drug in phase 2/3 clinical programs, which will test it in both outpatient and hospital settings.
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