Pharmaceutical Merck reduces from 50% to 30% effectiveness of its pill against COVID-19

The American pharmaceutical company Merck lowered the effectiveness of its oral drug to treat COVID-19 in adult patients, which it previously claimed was 50% and now indicates that it is only 30%.

In a report published by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDAMerck reported that final analyzes point to a 30% pill effectiveness, significantly below what the company itself had said in October.

The drug Lagevrio (molnupiravir), is still being studied by the FDA for potential approval, which for now has confirmed that the use of the antiviral reduces the risk of being hospitalized and dying.

In October, Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, who developed the drug, requested an authorization for emergency use from the United States health authorities and requested marketing permits from other regulatory agencies around the world.

The drug, available in capsules, must be taken twice a day for five days, by adults with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are patients at risk of developing the disease in its serious condition.

For its part, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) began on Tuesday to evaluate the application for a marketing license in the European Union (EU) for molnupiravir.

The European regulator said that “evaluate the benefits and risks”By Lagevrio“in a short time“And could give an opinion on the license in”some weeks”If the data presented by the pharmaceutical companies are sufficiently robust and complete to demonstrate the efficacy, safety and quality of the drug.

The conclusion of the EMA It will be achieved in a shorter time because the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has already advanced work in recent weeks, during the continuous evaluation of the drug, evaluating the drug data as it became available and shared by the developers .