China News Service, November 5, reported that the British government announced on the 4th that the country's drug regulatory agency has approved the world's first anti-coronavirus oral drug.

The drug can be taken at home and can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, who are at a higher risk of severe illness.

According to US media, the drug will provide a much-needed weapon for the United Kingdom to fight the new crown epidemic, and the United States and other countries may follow the example of the United Kingdom.

On April 6, 2021, local time, in London, England, the bar staff are preparing for the reopening.

New crown oral medicine is coming

The UK takes the lead in approving

　　According to the British government, the antiviral drug molnupiravir, jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapy, was found to be "safe and effective" and can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death for mild to moderate new crown patients with a higher risk of severe illness.

　　Merck also said that the British Drug and Health Products Regulatory Agency approved the drug to treat mild to moderate adult patients with new coronary disease who have tested positive for new coronary disease and have at least one risk factor for developing severe disease.

　　The Wall Street Journal of the United States stated that the United Kingdom was the first country to approve the drug, which can be taken at home, and promised that patients with new crowns would not go to the hospital for treatment.

As winter approaches, Merck-Ridgeback's drug will provide a much-needed weapon in the UK's fight against the new crown epidemic.

　　British Health Secretary Javid said in a statement posted online that this approval marks “a historic day for our country, because the UK is now the first country in the world to approve this oral anti-coronavirus drug that can be taken at home. ."

　　This medicine will be called Lagevrio in the UK.

According to the British government, Lagevrio acts by interfering with the replication of the new coronavirus. By preventing the proliferation of the virus, this drug will help keep the virus in the body at a low level, reduce symptoms and reduce the impact of the virus.

　　Data from clinical trials show that administration in the early stages of infection is the most effective.

Therefore, the British drug regulatory agency recommends that patients take the drug as soon as possible within 5 days of the onset of symptoms after testing positive for the new crown.

　　When the drug was approved, Britain was generally concerned about the high incidence of the new crown, with tens of thousands of new confirmed cases in the country every day.

According to the new crown tracking data of Johns Hopkins University, on November 3 alone, there were more than 40,000 new cases in the UK, and the daily death toll reached 217.

The average number of new cases and deaths in the seven days was 39,216 and 163, respectively.

On December 29, 2020 local time, people in Washington, the capital of the United States, dine in an outdoor "bubble" restaurant.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Sha Hanting

Anti-coronavirus drugs similar to cold medicines

U.S. or follow U.K. approval

　　US media said that the United States and other countries may follow the United Kingdom and approve the drug called molnupiravir.

A recent late-stage study found that this drug can reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by approximately 50%.

　　In October, Merck has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this anti-coronavirus oral drug.

　　Health experts including Fauci, a top infectious disease expert in the United States, have long called for pharmaceutical companies to develop a pill that can be taken orally by patients when the symptoms of new crowns first appear, just like cold medicine.

The combined use of such drugs and vaccines is seen as the key to controlling the wave of future infections and reducing the impact of the epidemic.

　　If the drug is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. government will agree to purchase 1.7 million doses of the drug at a price of approximately $700 per course of treatment.