Merck seeks emergency approval from FDA for molnupiravir pill to treat COVID-19 as cases continue to increase in the U.S.

Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck & Co – the pharmaceutical companies stated on Monday they have asked the FDA to authorize molnupiravir – an antiviral drug that offers a gradual COVID-19 removal from its first use. 

According to the pharmaceutical companies, molnupiravir can be given orally to COVID patients, who are at risk of ventilators and hospitalization.

The pill itself can treat adults with mild to moderate COVID cases if a patient takes four pills twice a day. The pill is prepared by researchers in Atlanta at Emory University.

A clinical trial data released on Oct 1^st proved that the pill has the ability to reduce the risk of hospitalization and even death due to COVID-19 cases up to 50%.

CEO of Merck, Robert M.Davis stated in a press release:

“The extraordinary impact of this pandemic demands that we move with unprecedented urgency, and that is what our teams have done by submitting this application for molnupiravir to the FDA within 10 days of receiving the data,”

Health officials expected that an antiviral should be prepared that would minimize the risks of death, hospitalization, and infections from SARS – Cov-2 virus. A variety of antiviral injections and drugs have been tested and studied to achieve the benefits, but unfortunately, none of them could fall on the required effectiveness.

President Joe Biden allocated above $3.2 billion for research and development of antivirals and effective drugs, expecting they would be one of the crucial elements that could be used to fight against the deadly virus.

Merck and associated Pharms are expecting to hear the good news from the FDA. Hoping if the molnupiravir pill is authorized for emergency use, 1.7 million doses will be provided to the United States Government for distribution.

Executive Director W.H.O. Dr. Mike Ryan said the pills from Merck are ‘Holy grails’ for the COVID treatment in a news conference last week.

Other pills and vaccines created by the other manufacturers like Pfizer created with BioNTech would be available for Americans till the end of the year.