The secret of antivirals

What is an antiviral drug?

Antivirals are used to either treat people infected with a virus or to protect exposed individuals from infection. They target the virus at an early stage, preventing progression to severe, or even critical, symptoms.

Which ones has the Government bought?

The Government’s antivirals taskforce has secured 480,000 courses of molnupiravir from Merck Sharp and Dohme. It has also agreed a deal for

50,000 courses of PF-073 133 / ritonavir from Pfizer. Both are subject to approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The cost has not been published but the US government is said to be paying around £500 for a course of molnupiravir.

When will the drugs be available?

Molnupiravir is expected to be approved from the middle of next month and made available for immediate use, while the Pfizer drug is likely to be approved in January.

Who will be able to access the treatments?

They are likely to be reserved for high-risk patients, such as the elderly and the immunocompromised.

How will the drugs be dispensed?

The details are to be confirmed but the treatment needs to start within five days of developing symptoms. The antivirals are likely to be doled out by GPs or pharmacists because they are intended for victims who have not yet been admitted to hospital. In trials, participants on molnupiravir were given four 00mg tablets twice a day for five days.

How effective are they at preventing severe illness?

Molnupiravir has been proven in clinical trials to cut the risk of hospitalisation or death for nonhospitalised adults with mild to moderate Covid by 50 per cent. Trial participants were unvaccinated, unlike most people in the UK, so the real world outcomes may vary. PF073 133 /ritonavir is in the early stages of its phase 3 trials, so its effectiveness has to be confirmed. But officials hope it will also prove to be a lifesaver.