By Emmanuel Nduka
The United Kingdom (UK) has approved the administration of experimental drug Molnupiravir from US pharmaceutical giant, Merck to treat COVID-19.
The approval by the UK medical regulatory body makes Britain the first country to approve the medication outside regular COVID-19 vaccines.
“Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for COVID-19,” said Britain’s health secretary, Sajid Javid.
“We will continue to move with both rigour and urgency to bring Molnupiravir to patients around the world as quickly as possible,” Merck President Robert M. Davis said in a statement.
With the first dose given to a volunteer in a clinical trial administered in the United Kingdom, the pill has now been licensed for adults aged 18 and above who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have at least one risk factor for developing severe disease.
A clinical trial carried out worldwide resulted in reduced hospitalisations and deaths by nearly half among adult patients diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19.
The proposed prescription for the drug is twice a day for five days for people at home with mild to moderate COVID-19.
Also, the pharmaceutical company has applied to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorisation and has announced that it is working towards submitting applications to other regulatory agencies across the world.
The American Government has already made an advance purchase of 1.7 million doses of Molnupiravir at the cost of $1.2 billion, Australia, Singapore and South Korea have also made purchase agreements with the pharmaceutical company for the drug.
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