Denmark Approves Molnupiravir As A Drug For COVID-19 Patients

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Denmark on Thursday approved the use of the anti-viral pill molnupiravir made by Merck & Co Inc to treat COVID-19 patients at risk of severe disease, including the elderly.

The treatment molnupiravir is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Amid the increase in cases, the EMA released advice on the use of molnupiravir for adults in November before providing more complete recommendations.

"We believe the benefits of this drug outweigh the drawbacks (if administered) in patients most at risk for severe COVID-19," said Kirstine Moll Harboe, chief medical officer of the Danish Health Authority.

The UK in November became the first country to have authorized use of the drug.

Molnupiravir was co-developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Merck said it had signed a deal to sell seven million packages of the molnupiravir treatment.

The EMA has recommended that patients start on molnupiravir – branded Lagevrio in the European Union – within five days of initial symptoms in adults who do not require oxygen support and who are at risk of worsening the disease.

However, recent testing data show the drug only reduces by as much as 30 percent the chances of hospitalization and death in high-risk patients.

The EMA has also started a review of molnupiravir's competitor Paxlovid from Pfizer.

The company in November said its drug slashed the chances of people being hospitalized or dying by 89 percent in susceptible adults.

Paxlovid is expected to be approved for use by US regulators later this year.