Merck's COVID-19 pill hailed after cutting hospitalizations by 50%This handout photo obtained May 26, 2021, courtesy of Pharmaceutical company Merck shows capsules of the experimental antiviral drug Molnupiravir. Merck said on October 1, 2021, it will seek authorization in the US for molnupiravir for Covid-19, after the pill showed "compelling results" in a clinical trial. WASHINGTON, United States — US pharmaceutical company Merck said Friday it will seek authorization of its oral drug molnupiravir for COVID-19 after it was shown to reduce the chance newly infected patients were hospitalized by 50%. All the patients had lab-confirmed COVID-19 with symptoms that developed within five days of them being assigned to their respective groups. Of the patients who received molnupiravir, 7.3 percent were hospitalized by day 29, compared to 14.1 percent of those on a placebo -- a relative risk reduction of around 50 percent.

Source: Philippine Star October 02, 2021 00:11 UTC