New antiviral drugs mark a big turning point in the covid-19 pandemic

THE LATEST news in the fight against covid-19 is encouraging. Two new antiviral drugs have been deemed so effective that clinical trials ended early. Data from these trials have not yet been published. However, regulators are moving swiftly to consider general use of the drugs. They will fill a large gap in the toolkit doctors are using to fight the virus, and could well help end the global pandemic.The new drugs are molnupiravir (Lagevrio), developed by Merck, a pharmaceutical company, working with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, a biotech firm, and Paxlovid, which was developed by Pfizer. All three are American companies. Those most at risk from the serious effects of covid are far less likely to be hospitalised, or die, if they take a course of either of these pills in the five days after symptoms first appear.