We’re pretty lucky here in Singapore that we have access to several effective vaccines that have been deemed safe for use.
Without our high vaccination rate, the number of cases that would have been hospitalised or worse would certainly have been higher.
But since the coronavirus always finds a way to break through our defences, we need a Plan B to treat those who have contracted the disease.
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If all goes well, patients here could soon find that treatment in a tiny pill.
S’pore Reportedly Buying Merck’s Antiviral Pill That Can Be Used to Treat COVID-19 Effectively
Merck, an American multinational pharmaceutical company, has made an exciting announcement: we’ve signed a supply and purchase agreement with Singapore for our antiviral pill.
That little pill, called molnupiravir, was jointly developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, a biotechnology company.
The drug is believed to be effective against all known variants of COVID-19, including the Delta strain.
Woah.
Of course, it needs to be authorised and approved for use here first.
Before that, though, how does this drug work?
Originally Developed to Treat Influenza
Interestingly, molnupiravir was originally developed to treat influenza, but has since been repurposed to see if it can treat COVID-19, like many drugs during the pandemic.
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To understand how this drug works, it’s important to understand how viruses act.
See, when the coronavirus invades a body, it makes copies of itself and multiplies throughout your body. This is what makes it so deadly sometimes.
However, when molnupiravir is administered to an infected person, the pill causes a genetic mutation that hinders this self-reproduction.
Drug Cut Risk of Hospitalization and Death in at-risk Patients By 50%
According to Merck’s interim trials, the drug cut the risk of hospitalisation and death for patients at risk of severe disease by 50%.
The interim analysis suggests that the drug is most effective when administered in the earlier stages of infection.
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How is it Administered?
The drug, unlike other repurposed COVID-19 drugs, does not require expensive intravenous transfusions.
It’s simply a pill that you take twice a day for five days.
It’s seen as a great tool to complement vaccinations, especially for those most at risk of severe illness.
Other Countries Are in Talks to Get the Drug
Other countries are already in talks to get the drug too, including Malaysia, South Korea, and Thailand.
Australia is also reportedly buying 300,000 doses of Merck’s drug to tackle the outbreak in the country.
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Trials for the drug are ongoing and expected to conclude early next month, when we can get more definitive results.
If everything goes well, we could soon have yet another preventative treatment to tackle this darn COVID-19.
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