PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pfizer said Friday that its antiviral pill for COVID-19 cuts the risk of hospitalization and death by nearly 90%.
Pfizer’s preliminary results of its study of 775 adults found patients who received the drug, along with another antiviral shortly after showing COVID-19 symptoms, had an 89% reduction in their combined rate of hospitalization or death after a month, compared to patients taking a dummy pill.
Fewer than 1% of patients taking the drug needed to be hospitalized and no one died. In the comparison group, 7% were hospitalized and there were seven deaths.
The pill was given to people who had mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms and had at least one underlying health issue that made them high-risk, like obesity, diabetes or heart disease. They were also unvaccinated. Treatment started within five days of symptoms.
Patients who received the drug earlier showed slightly better results, underscoring the need for speedy testing and treatment.
“We were hoping that we had something extraordinary, but it’s rare that you see great drugs come through with almost 90% efficacy and 100% protection for death,” said Dr. Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, in an interview with AP.
The experimental drug is a protease inhibitor that is supposed to stop the virus from multiplying. With it, patients get a small dose of an older antiviral called ritonavir, which slows the drug’s breakdown, so it is in the system longer and packs more of a punch.
Pfizer did not note any specific side effects, only saying they were mainly mild.
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The results are promising, but KYW Newsradio medical editor Dr. Brian McDonough said there needs to be an independent review.
“The information now has to be looked at in the study form, and that has to be analyzed, digested and reviewed by regulatory bodies,” he said. “So it’s certainly exciting, but this is really early.”
Merck is already further along in the process in the U.S. for its antiviral treatment, and it is already approved in the U.K.
Such medicines are critical because they can be taken at home before one gets too sick. The only approved treatments in the U.S. have to be given through an IV or by injection at a hospital or clinic.
Pfizer said it will ask the Food and Drug Administration and international regulators to authorize its pill as soon as possible, after independent experts recommended halting the company’s study based on the strength of its results. Once Pfizer applies, the FDA could make a decision within weeks or months.
Top U.S. health officials continue to stress that vaccination will remain the best way to protect against infection. But with tens of millions of adults still unvaccinated — and many more globally — effective, easy-to-use treatments will be critical to curbing future waves of infections.