The most popular COVID-19 antiviral is Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir [PF-07321332] and ritonavir). The manufacturer of the drug, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), anticipates selling about $22 billion worth of Paxlovid this year. Complicating matters, however, is the failure of the drug to meet its primary endpoint of self-reported, sustained alleviation of all COVID-19 symptoms for four consecutive days in the…
Pfizer to make COVID-19 pill available in low- and middle-income nations
In late October, Merck (NYSE:MRK) and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics agreed to make the COVID-19 antiviral molnupiravir available in the developing world. Now, Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) is taking a similar approach for its investigational antiviral cocktail Paxlovid, which contains PF-07321332 and ritonavir. Pfizer, like Merck, struck an agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) related to…
Pfizer launches Phase 2/3 trial of COVID-19 oral antiviral cocktail
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) has announced the launch of the Phase 2/3 EPIC-PEP study to test its oral antiviral candidate PF-07321332 as a post-exposure prophylaxis against COVID-19. The EPIC-PEP study, whose name is an acronym of “Evaluation of Protease Inhibition for COVID-19 in Post-Exposure Prophylaxis,” will test the efficacy of PF-07321332 with low-dose ritonavir to prevent COVID-19…