London: A COVID-19 antiviral that can be taken at home was approved for use across the UK on Thursday.
With this, Britain has become the first country to give the go-ahead to Molnupiravir, jointly developed by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck, which is being considered a potential gamechanger in fighting the pandemic, especially in the case of the frailest and immunosuppressed, the BBC reported.
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said the tablet has been authorised for use in people who have mild to moderate COVID and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness such as obesity, old age, diabetes or heart disease.
The pill works by interfering with the virus’ replication. This prevents it from multiplying, keeping virus levels low in the body, and thus, reduce the severity of the disease, it said.
The drug needs to be given within five days of symptoms developing to be most effective.
Britain has agreed to purchase 480,000 courses with the first deliveries expected by mid-November.
Molnupiravir will soon be offered to patients, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, in a national study to help protect those most at risk from the virus over the winter, it added.
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