Merck and partner Ridgeback Therapeutics have said they will see emergency use authorisation from the FDA for molnupiravir on the strength of the data, which suggest the drug could be used in the community to keep people from developing severe COVID-19.
At the moment drugs like dexamethasone and Gilead Sciences’ intravenous antiviral Veklury (remdesivir) can be used in hospitals to reduce mortality in severe COVID-19.
Antibody therapies meanwhile have been developed for non-hospitalised patients, but these still have to be administered by infusion in a clinic.
