Progress on the COVID-19 treatment pill is making rapid strides, as Pfizer just submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization.
The pharmaceutical giant submitted the request Tuesday, maintaining that the drug known as Paxlovid will reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths by 89% when paired with the common HIV drug, Ritonavir.
In a clinical trial that included high-risk participants who were 18 and over, Pfizer found that a combination of the drugs reduced the risk of severe reactions to the virus when taken within three days of symptoms appearing.
Pfizer’s plan for authorization arrived right on time, as CEO Albert Bourla previously revealed that the company was aiming to submit its findings before Thanksgiving. In a statement released on the same day as the FDA request, Bourla says that the company wants to move fast to secure an innovative treatment option as soon as possible.
This latest treatment, a convenient oral at-home option, will cut down on hospitalizations, which will provide a solution to the limited beds in hospitals due to the overwhelming number of virus cases.
