Pfizer Announces Promising Results Of New COVID Pill

On Friday, drug company Pfizer announced results from an interim analysis reportedly showing its new pill designed to treat COVID-19 minimized the risk of death or hospitalization by 89%.

In an announcement, the company stated:

PAXLOVID™ […] was found to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by 89% compared to placebo in non-hospitalized high-risk adults with COVID-19In the overall study population through Day 28, no deaths were reported in patients who received PAXLOVID™ as compared to 10 deaths in patients who received placeboPfizer plans to submit the data as part of its ongoing rolling submission to the U.S. [Food and Drug Administration] for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) as soon as possible

“Today’s news is a real game-changer in the global efforts to halt the devastation of this pandemic. These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorized by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients’ lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer. “Given the continued global impact of COVID-19, we have remained laser-focused on the science and fulfilling our responsibility to help healthcare systems and institutions around the world while ensuring equitable and broad access to people everywhere.”

“All of us at Pfizer are incredibly proud of our scientists, who designed and developed this molecule, working with the utmost urgency to help lessen the impact of this devastating disease on patients and their communities,” said Mikael Dolsten, MD, PhD., Chief Scientific Officer and President, Worldwide Research, Development and Medical of Pfizer. “We’re thankful to all of the patients, investigators, and sites around the world who participated in this clinical trial, all with the common goal of bringing forth a breakthrough oral therapy to help combat COVID-19.”

As the BBC reported, “The drug – Paxlovid – is intended for use soon after symptoms develop in people at high risk of severe disease.”

The company also noted that, per “the recommendation of an independent Data Monitoring Committee and in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” it ended more enrollment into its study because of “the overwhelming efficacy demonstrated in these results…”

On Friday, President Biden said, “If authorized by the FDA we may soon have pills that treat the virus in those who become infected,” noting, “We’ve already secured millions of doses. The therapy would be another tool in our toolbox to protect people from