<Anchor> The
number of new corona infections in Korea is expected to reach 4,000 today (28th). As Pfizer's corona edible treatment is approved for domestic use, it is expected to be supplied to pharmacies as early as the middle of next month.
Correspondent Park Jae-hyun.
<Reporter>
Pfizer's approval of 'Paxrovid' is the first in Korea as an oral treatment.
The previously approved treatment 'Lekkinage' was in the form of an injection.
Paxrovid is scheduled to be introduced from the middle of next month at the earliest, and should be taken within five days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
You need to take three tablets, two different drugs, nirmatrelvir and one ritonavir, at a time, and take this twice a day for 5 days every 12 hours.
That's a total of 30 pills.
Because the drug blocks the formation of a protein necessary for viral replication, it is more effective when the amount of virus is mild.
In previous clinical trials, the effectiveness of hospitalization or death prevention was very high at 88%.
It is expected to be effective against mutated viruses such as Omicron.
[Kim Gang-lip / Minister of Food and Drug Safety: Because it works in a way that inhibits the proliferation of proteins, it is expected that it will be effective against mutations in Omicron... .] The
government plans to prescribe it mainly to moderately ill patients among in-home caregivers.
When a doctor prescribes a drug, the pharmacy dispenses it and delivers it to the home healer's home.
The government announced that it has completed a pre-purchase contract for a total of 604,000 servings, including 362,000 servings of Pax Lovid and 242,000 servings of Lagebrio, another oral treatment from MSD in the US.
In addition, he explained that he was pushing for a purchase contract for a total of 1,400,000 people by adding an additional 400,000 at the beginning of next month.
However, with regard to MSD's 'Laguebrio', domestic approval was withheld, stating that more safety and effectiveness reviews are needed.