The pill against Covid-19 Merck remains “active” against Omicron variant, declared this Friday the American company, based on six laboratory studies.
The treatment, called molnupiravir, is an antiviral that must be administered quickly after the appearance of symptoms, and taken for five days to prevent the virus from replicating.
These in vitro studies, based on cell assays, were conducted independently by investigators in six countries (Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Netherlands, and the United States).
The results show “that the molnupiravir maintains antiviral activity against omicron, the main variant in circulation in the world,” said Dr. Dean Y. Li, of the research laboratories of Merck.
Now the effectiveness against Omicron should be evaluated in the framework of clinical trials.
The treatment, sometimes marketed as Lagevrio, has been licensed in more than 10 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan.
Pfizer It also developed an anticovid pill, which has shown higher efficacy.
