Pfizer has announced that it is starting a new oral antiviral drug for coronavirus in the United States. It is the drug PF-07321332, a protease inhibitor, which can be prescribed to patients with the first signs of infection Covid-19, who are not hospitalized. The pharmaceutical company said the new drug, if proven safe and effective and approved, would help with future coronavirus threats.
"Tackling the pandemic Covid-19 requires both vaccine prevention and targeted treatment for those infected with the virus. As he mutates, as well as its ongoing impact Covid-19 "worldwide, it seems likely that it will be crucial to have access to treatment options both now and beyond the pandemic," said Dr. Michael Dolsten, chief scientist and president of the company's research and development department.
Phase 1 of the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial will be performed on healthy adults to evaluate the safety of the drug and how well it is tolerated. These inhibitors work by binding to a virus enzyme (protease) and thus preventing it from reproducing in human cells. Similar drugs have been used against HIV and hepatitis C.
Laboratory tests of the substance PF-07321332 so far have shown that it has a strong effect against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, as well as against other coronaviruses. It is the first orally administered protease inhibitor to be tested in a clinical study against coronavirus. Pfizer has already started testing (phase 1b) another protease inhibitor (PF-07304814) that is given intravenously in patients with Covid-19.
SOURCE: RES-EBA