Administration invests $1.2 billion in future COVID-19 treatment

This week, the Biden administration announced it will procure approximately 1.7 million courses of molnupiravir, an investigational antiviral treatment developed by Merck. The deal is contingent on the treatment receiving emergency use authorization or approval to treat COVID-19 from the Food and Drug Administration. Molnupiravir is being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 3 trial for its potential to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death in non-hospitalized patients who have symptoms for five days or less and are at high risk for severe illness. The trial plans to enroll a total of 1,850 patients globally with final data expected in the fall of 2021. Molnupiravir is designed to induce viral genome copying errors to prevent viruses from replicating in the human body. In studies, the treatment has demonstrated broad-spectrum activity against the influenza, Ebola and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis viruses. (HHS news release, 6/9/11)