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The studies showed the pill, called Paxlovid, reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by nearly 90 percent if given to high-risk adults within several days of their initial COVID symptoms, Pfizer said in a statement released Tuesday morning, Dec. 14.
The pill also retains activity against variants, including Omicron, because the drug blocks an enzyme involved in viral replication, Pfizer said.
“Emerging variants of concern, like Omicron, have exacerbated the need for accessible treatment options for those who contract the virus,” Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla said in a statement, "and we are confident that, if authorized or approved, this potential treatment could be a critical tool to help quell the pandemic.”
The Paxlovid pill combines ritonavir, an established antiviral drug, with a new drug called nirmatrelvir.
Pfizer hopes Paxlovid can eventually be available to take at home.
Pfizer's findings are available to review here.
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