Benzinga -
- According to a large study, dubbed PANORAMIC, Merck & Co Inc's (NYSE: MRK) COVID-19 antiviral molnupiravir speeds up recovery but does not reduce the hospitalization or death rate in higher-risk vaccinated adults.
- The study was conducted when the Omicron variant was dominant and compared the oral pill against standard treatment alone in people over 50 or those aged 18 and older with underlying conditions.
- When Merck initially tested molnupiravir, it was 30% effective in reducing hospitalizations, but that was in unvaccinated patients.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended stopping using five COVID-19 treatments, including Merck's antiviral pill for high-risk patients, citing cost-effectiveness concerns.
- In the latest study, Reuters reported, nearly all of the more than 25,000 patients in the study had received at least three vaccine doses.
- Results exhibit that the vaccine protection is so strong that there is no obvious benefit from the drug in terms of further reducing hospitalization and deaths said study co-author Jonathan Van-Tam from the University of Nottingham.
- The drug effectively reduced viral load and can help hasten patient recovery by roughly four days, researchers estimated based on study data.
- "For the moment, I think you have to say that don't use this drug in the general population, including those at slightly higher risk," said co-chief study investigator Paul Little.
- Price Action: MRK shares are down 0.12% at $111.11 during the premarket session on the last check Friday.