Pfizer researching oral medication to prevent COVID-19.
On Monday, Pfizer Inc. (PFE.N) said that it is launching the mid-to-late stage of testing its oral antiviral drug investigational to prevent COVID-19 infections among people who have had contact with the virus.
The company, along with its competitors, including U.S.-based Merck & Co Inc (MRK.N) and Swiss pharmaceutical Roche Holding AG (ROG.S), have been striving to develop the first antiviral drug for COVID-19.
Pfizer has announced it will investigate the drug PF07321332 with as many as 2,660 adults aged 18 or older who reside in the same home as a person who has a confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 disease.
The trial will test the PF-07321332 medication with a lower dose of ritonavir. It is an older medication commonly used in combination treatment in the treatment of HIV infection.
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Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics revealed that earlier in the month, they were able to enroll patients in a clinical trial in the final stages of their drug molnupiravir, an experimental drug to prevent COVID-19 infections.
Pfizer had previously announced this month that it was launching an intermediate-to-late-stage study of PF-07321332 to treat COVID-19 among non-hospitalized affected adult patients.
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