Merck drug approved for COVID-19 in US

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Molnupiravir for the treatment of covid-19 from Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, REUTERS reports.

The FDA has approved its oral use for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults at risk for severe illness for whom alternative treatments are not available or clinically unacceptable. For children and adolescents, the use of Molnupiravir tablets is prohibited due to a possible negative effect on the growth of bones and cartilage.

During clinical trials, the drug showed a reduction in hospitalizations and deaths by about 30%, according to the agency. The studies involved people at high risk in the early stages of the disease.

The US government has signed a contract to purchase 5 million courses of Molnupiravir at $700 per course.