New Delhi: European Medicines Agency (EMA), which is in charge of the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products for the European Union (EU), has approved Pfizer COVID pill for emergency use, pending formal approval across the bloc, news agency AFP reported.
This comes after the EU regulator recommended two new treatments against Coronavirus for use in the bloc: Kineret, an immunosuppressive produced by Sweden’s Orphan Biovitrum, and GlaxoSmithKline’s Xevudy drug.
Based on early data in approximately 1,200 patients, Pfizer Inc reported last month that the pill was roughly 89 per cent effective in reducing hospitalisations or deaths when compared to placebo.
As per Pfizer Inc, recent lab data suggested its antiviral COVID-19 pill was effective against the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus. An additional 1,000 persons were included in the trials of which data was released on Tuesday.
The US company also stated that the final analysis of its oral medicine showed near 90 per cent efficacy in preventing hospitalisations and deaths in high-risk patients infected with COVID-19, Reuters reported.
ALSO READ | Pfizer Covid Tablet Nearly 90% Effective, Works On Omicron Variant: Report
Nobody Died After Receiving Pfizer Treatment During Trial
During the trial, nobody died after receiving the Pfizer treatment. However, 12 deaths were recorded among placebo recipients.
As per the treatment, the Pfizer pills are taken with antiviral ritonavir every 12 hours for five days beginning after onset of symptoms. The treatment will be sold as Paxlovid upon authorisation.
Preliminary results from a second clinical study showed that the treatment decreased hospitalisations by 70% in 600 standard-risk patients, the Reuters report mentioned.
Pfizer stated that it could ship 180,000 treatment courses this year and plans to produce at least 80 million more in 2022.
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