In a laboratory working on Covid-19 (illustration).

-

Bony / SIPA

While vaccines are in the spotlight, research is also advancing on treatments for Covid-19.

Pharmaceutical giant Merck and US laboratory Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced progress on Saturday in the design of an orally administered drug.

Their antiviral being tested had positive effects in reducing the viral load.

"Knowing that there is an unmet need for antiviral treatments for SARS-CoV-2, we are encouraged by these preliminary results," said Wendy Painter, chief drug officer at Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

Merck interrupted its work on two potential Covid-19 vaccines at the end of January but continues its research on two treatments against the disease, including molnupiravir, developed with the American company Ridgeback Bio.

The drug significantly reduced the viral load in patients after five days of treatment, the company said on Saturday in a meeting with infectious disease specialists.

Merck is developing another treatment

Phase 2a of the test, the trials counting three before possible marketing, was conducted on 202 out-of-hospital patients, having Covid-19 with symptoms.

There was no alert in terms of safety, and "out of the four serious incidents reported, none was considered in connection with the drug studied," said the laboratory.

The results of this study, "namely a more rapid decrease in the viral load in individuals with Covid-19 in the initial phase and who have received molnupiravir, are promising", assured William Fischer, one of the directors of the study and professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina.

Merck is also working on a treatment called MK-711.

The first results of clinical trials show a reduction of more than 50% in the risk of death or respiratory failure in hospitalized patients with moderate to severe forms of Covid-19, the group said at the end of January.

Health

Why has French research fallen behind?

Health

Is Molnupiravir the miracle treatment against Covid-19 that we expected?

  • Treatment

  • Drug

  • Pharmaceutical industry

  • Covid 19

  • Video

  • Coronavirus

  • Health