Pfizer started to develop the oral antiviral, ‘PF-07321332,’ against COVID-19 earlier in March of 2020.
Experts around the globe remain committed to finding ways to prevent, treat, and eradicate COVID-19. While some solutions already exist, these are not seemingly enough as the pandemic persists. This is why drug makers and manufacturers, like Pfizer, keep on doing the work.
Officials and health experts have repeatedly emphasized that vaccination is the key to stopping the coronavirus crisis. However, the world has yet to vaccinate the majority of the population, causing the virus to spread further.
Now, to complement the efforts, drug companies have been looking into the use of oral antivirals. In the case of Pfizer, the COVID-19 vaccine maker is now on its middle-to-late-stage clinical trials of a pill to ward off the novel coronavirus.
Pfizer in its mid-to-late-stage study of the pill
On Monday, Pfizer announced that it is testing an anti-COVID-19 pill, according to CBS News. The drug is a preventive measure, particularly for individuals who have contacted a person with a confirmed symptomatic infection.
In the announcement, the drug manufacturer stated that the study centers on the efficacy of the pill, called PF-07321332. This is in combination with a low dose of ritonavir, which is a repurposed HIV medicine.
The large clinical trial involves 2,660 healthy adults, who live in the same household with COVID-19-infected individuals. One-third of the participants will receive a placebo, while the rest will take the anti-COVID-19 pill twice a day for five to ten days.
How the anti-COVID-19 pill works
Pfizer began developing PF-07321332 in March 2020. While many companies are already testing and studying oral antivirals against COVID-19, the Comirnaty vaccine-maker is the “first specifically designed against coronavirus,” as per Gulf News.
The premise of the study is called the “protease inhibitor,” which experts saw in lab tests, jamming up the virus’ replication machinery. If it works in the application, the drug will then likely only be reportedly “effective at the early stage” of the infection.
Accordingly, by the time the coronavirus progresses to severe disease, COVID-19 has largely stopped replicating. Moreover, it has then avoided patients from suffering an over-active immune response.
Treatments to complement the vaccines
The vaccine maker said in April that the drug could be available by the end of the year. It even deemed the pill to be a potential “game changer.”
Pfizer announced an experimental at-home pill which will treat COVID-19 at first signs of illness – and it could be available by the end of the year. ⁰⁰Dr. Neeta Ogden tells CBSN it could be a “game changer.” pic.twitter.com/cC3ykBMEMc
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 28, 2021
The company’s R&D Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Mikael Dolsten, also stated that this could “stop the virus early,” and potentially prevent exposed individuals to develop symptomatic disease. He consequently asserted that treatments that complement the COVID-19 vaccines are necessary for tackling the virus.
Apart from the anti-COVID-19 pill, PF-07321332, Pfizer is also looking into an antiviral drug combination to treat COVID-19, according to Forbes. The company is reportedly expecting to see results by the end of 2021.
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