In updated data for molnupiravir, Merck's Covid-19 pill, the US pharma giant has said that the drug was significantly less effective in cutting hospitalizations and deaths earlier analysis has reported.
Merck said its pill showed a 30% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths, based on data from 1,433 patients. Earlier in October, it showed a roughly 50% efficacy, based on data from 775 patients.
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The lower efficacy of Merck’s drug could have big implications in terms of whether countries will buy and roll the usage of the pill.
The current data will be presented at the centre of a panel discussion by US Food and Drug Administration advisers regarding its use to treat Covid in high-risk patients.