World Health Organization (WHO) supported the use of oral antiviral treatment for Covid-19 from Pfizer Inc. in high-risk patients, after an analysis of data from a trial conducted by the agency of the UN showed that the therapy reduces the risk of hospitalization.
The recommendation comes as thousands of people are dying from Covid-19 every week, even though the global infection rate is declining.
Of the existing treatments against Covid-19, Pfizer’s Paxlovid is by far the most potent, according to the WHO. Other therapies include the pill molnupiravir Merck & Co.Gilead Sciences’ intravenous remdesivir, and antibody treatments.
A WHO analysis of two clinical trials with Paxlovid, involving almost 3,100 patients, suggested that it reduced the risk of hospitalization by 85 percent.
In high-risk patients — those with more than a 10% risk of hospitalization — use of Paxlovid could result in 84 fewer hospitalizations per 1,000 patients, according to the agency.
“Are therapies do not replace vaccination. They only give us another treatment option for those patients who get infected and who are at higher risk,” said Janet Diaz, WHO lead clinical management, referring to patients with chronic underlying conditions, those who are immunocompromised or those who are unvaccinated.
However, there are challenges that could limit the adoption of Paxlovid. Since it must be taken early in the disease to be effective, access to rapid and accurate tests is essential to identify patients.
In addition, Paxlovid has not been investigated in pregnant or lactating women or in children.
Earlier this year, Pfizer said it expected Paxlovid will contribute 22,000 million dollars in sales in 2022.
The US drugmaker has agreed to sell 4 million treatments to UNICEF for use in 95 low-income countries that cover just over half the world’s population. This represents just over 3% of Pfizer’s projected production of 120 million treatments this year.