In a breakthrough against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, drug maker Pfizer has announced that its oral product PAXLOVID was shown to be highly effective in keeping people out of hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
“The data demonstrated an 89% reduction in risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death from any cause in patients treated with PAXLOVID compared to placebo within three days of symptom onset, with no deaths in the treatment group. Similar results were seen with those treated within five days of symptom onset,” the company said in a release.
The European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use said the combo of nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets known as PAXLOVID can be used to treat adults with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of progressing to severe disease.
PAXLOVID is an investigational SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitor antiviral therapy. It was developed to be administered orally so that, if authorized or approved, it can be prescribed at the first sign of infection or at first awareness of exposure to the virus – including the Omicron variant.
Associated Press newswire story on PAXLOVID …. Here