Another effective weapon against Covid-19 could soon be added. This is the pill produced by Merck, molnupiravir, which would reduce the risk of death and hospitalization in the most frail patients by 50%. This was revealed by the first results that emerged from clinical trials.
The American pharmaceutical giant saw the stock jump about 7% after the announcement on the results of the tests. Now Merck, along with partners at Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, will seek emergency use authorization in both the United States and other regulatory agencies around the world.
The news negatively impacted the shares of the pharmaceutical companies that produce the anti-Covid vaccines (the -9% of Moderna stands out today, and even -29% from the peak of $ 497 reached on 9/8), which see obviously increase competition. If licensed, molnupiravir would be the first oral coronavirus drug.