Updated Data Shows Merck's Oral COVID-19 Antiviral Cuts Hospitalization, Death Risk By 30%

Merck & Co Inc MRK said that its experimental COVID-19 pill, molnupiravir, reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 30% in a study, according to data from all the patients enrolled in a late-stage study (n=1433).

• The Company said that molnupiravir data, developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, had been submitted to the FDA ahead of a meeting of its expert advisers on Tuesday.
• Related Link: Merck, Ridgeback File For Emergency Use Nod For COVID-19 Antiviral.
• Planned interim analysis of the data last month showed that 7.3% of those given molnupiravir twice a day for five days were hospitalized, and none had died by 29 days after the treatment. 
• That compared with a hospitalization rate of 14.1% for placebo patients.
• In the updated data, 6.8% of those given molnupiravir were hospitalized, and one person died, while the other placebo group had a hospitalization rate of 9.7%, with nine deaths reported.
• The U.K. is expected to start providing molnupiravir through a national study in about 10,000 people, reports Bloomberg.
• The University of Oxford will run the study, dubbed Panoramic.
• It will begin recruiting participants early next month, giving the country data on how well the drug, molnupiravir, works in vaccinated people.
• Also See: Britain Approves First Oral COVID-19 Antiviral From Merck.
• Price Action: MRK shares are down 2.94% at $79.86 during the premarket session on the last check Friday.