Pfizer Says New COVID-19 Pill Could Help Treat Rapidly-Spreading Omicron
Image ID 210332358 © via Esther19775 | Dreamstime.com
In mid-November, Pfizer announced it was seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its COVID-19 treatment pill, which could potentially help treat patients at a higher risk of developing serious illnesses from the virus.
At the time, the drugmaker had signed an agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool to share its license for the oral medication, enabling patients in lower-income countries to gain access to its formula.
Now, as the Omicron variant sees a spike in cases throughout most of the world, Pfizer has confirmed that its antiviral pill does effectively prevent severe symptoms of the disease. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, the drug is likely to work against emerging variants as well.
High-risk Americans who took the drug shortly after displaying symptoms reduced their rates of hospitalization and death by about 89%. This could significantly reduce the number of people needing to take up beds as hospitals struggle to cope with the overwhelming number of new infections.
The FDA is expected to approve the pill soon, which would allow consumers to access the drug by January, as per the New York Times. As the US surpasses the 800,000 death mark, and a new wave of infections threatens to destabilize the country once again, the medication could be crucial in reducing the number of severe cases and eventual deaths nationwide.
However, experts warn that while the pill could help stave off serious symptoms, being vaccinated is still the best way to prevent one from being infected or spreading the virus.
A recent study done by Pfizer saw 2,250 high-risk, unvaccinated participants take the drug for three or five days after showing the first signs of having contracted COVID-19. Each of them consumed 30 pills over the course of five days.
Results showed that, of the 697 patients who began taking the medicine within the first three days of symptoms, only five were hospitalized, with no deaths reported. Whereas, in the placebo group of 682 patients, 35 were hospitalized and nine passed away, as per CNN.
“This is quite amazing and potentially transformative. If we could keep people out of hospitals, that would have a huge impact on health care,” said Sara Cherry, a virologist at the University of Pennsylvania not affiliated with the study.
“Emerging variants of concern, like Omicron, have exacerbated the need for accessible treatment options for those who contract the virus, and we are confident that, if authorized or approved, this potential treatment could be a critical tool to help quell the pandemic,” said Pfizer CEO, Albert Bourla.
[via Smithsonian Magazine, cover image via Esther19775 | Dreamstime.com]
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