How does Merck's new COVID-19 drug work?
The United Kingdom has granted conditional approval to an antiviral drug as a treatment for COVID-19. The drug is known as a molnupiravir and will be branded as Lagevrio in Britain. It has been licensed for those aged 18 years and older who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have at least one factor increasing their risk of severe disease.
Why does it matter?
Molnupiravir is the first oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19 to be approved. Other treatments approved for COVID-19 are administered by injection or infusion to patients who are mostly hospitalized. Together with a strong vaccination program, the new treatment could be groundbreaking at this stage of the pandemic and help ease stressed healthcare systems worldwide.
UK clears COVID-19 drug
The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had recommended the use of molnupiravir as soon as possible after a COVID-19 diagnosis and within five days of the onset of symptoms. The UK has become the first country to approve an antiviral COVID-19 drug that can be taken at home, Britain's Health Secretary Sajid Javid highlighted, calling the development "historic."
How does the drug work?
Molnupiravir targets an enzyme essential in the reproductive processes of the coronavirus. It does so by introducing errors to the virus' genetic code, impacting its ability to replicate and spread. According to Merck, the drug reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half among patients with early COVID-19 symptoms. The drug is to be taken twice a day for five days in mild to moderate cases.
Other countries seek regulatory approval
By October, Britain had 4.8 lakh courses of molnupiravir. Thousands of citizens were expected to have access to the drug this winter. Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutic have sought regulatory approval for molnupiravir around the world. The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to review the drug's safety and efficacy later in November. Merck said it can produce 10 million courses by 2021-end.
Initial supply to be limited
The initial supply is likely to be limited as Merck's production capacity has already been purchased by governments worldwide. Molnupiravir was initially being developed as a potential flu therapy which was repurposed as a potential COVID-19 treatment.
Experts praise Merck's drug deal
Experts celebrated Merck for widely sharing its formula which would help other companies make the drug themselves. No COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers have agreed to offer technological help widely to help reproduce the shot. The same has been blamed for global vaccine inequity. However, activists criticized Merck's deal for excluding many middle-income countries capable of making millions of treatments.
How much does it cost?
Reportedly, the US paid $700 for each molnupiravir treatment course for 1.7 million courses. The drug costs about $18 to make, according to estimates by Harvard University and King's College London. Merck plans to use a tiered pricing strategy for developing countries. The company had earlier announced licensing deals with Indian manufacturers to lower the costs.
