Compared with Merck’s molnupiravir, will Pfizer’s antiviral oral drug paxlovid be better at sharply reducing the death toll and strain on the health-care system? Pfizer’s oral antiviral is a protease inhibitor, originally called PF-07321332, or just 332 for short, given in combination with ritonavir. How does the use of an HIV drug ritonavir, which is also a protease inhibitor, improve the efficacy of paxlovid? Since ritonavir is generally used in combination with other HIV protease inhibitor drugs, was it natural to test it in combination with paxlovid to increase efficacy? Since paxlovid is a protease inhibitor, can the virus develop resistance faster than when molnupiravir is used?

Source: The Hindu November 20, 2021 17:58 UTC