The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized Pfizer’s antiviral pill, Paxlovid, to treat COVID-19.
The pill, the first to be authorized in the U.S., will be used to treat high-risk individuals over the age of 12 and who weigh at least 88 pounds.
Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement, “Today’s authorization of PAXLOVID represents another tremendous example of how science will help us ultimately defeat this pandemic, which, even two years in, continues to disrupt and devastate lives across the world.”
“This breakthrough therapy, which has been shown to significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths and can be taken at home, will change the way we treat COVID-19, and hopefully help reduce some of the significant pressures facing our healthcare and hospital systems,” he continued.
Finally, he said, “Pfizer stands ready to begin delivery in the U.S. immediately to help get PAXLOVID into the hands of appropriate patients as quickly as possible.”
Last week, Pfizer said its pill is roughly 89% effective in preventing hospitalization or death in high-risk individuals.
As Reuters reports, “Nobody in the trial who received the Pfizer treatment died, compared with 12 deaths among placebo recipients.”
“The Pfizer pills are taken with the older antiviral ritonavir every 12 hours for five days beginning shortly after onset of symptoms,” it added.
The company also said the pill could be effective against the omicron variant.
The FDA’s announcement comes as the number of new coronavirus infections is on the rise. According to The New York Times, the U.S. is recording an average of 154,555 new infections per day, a 27% increase from the previous 14 days.
Additionally, 62% of the U.S. is fully vaccinated against the virus, and 71% of Americans over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated.
