@Region Philbis,
Pfizer’s drug is part of a decades-old family of antiviral drugs known as protease inhibitors, which revolutionised the treatment of HIV and hepatitis C. The drugs block a key enzyme, which viruses need to multiply in the human body.
The drug, which has not yet been named, was first identified during the Sars outbreak originating in Asia during 2003. Last year, company researchers decided to revive the medication and study it for Covid-19, given the similarities between the two coronaviruses.
Although Merck’s pill is further along in the US regulatory process, Pfizer’s drug could benefit from a safety profile that is more familiar to regulators, with fewer red flags. While pregnant women were excluded from the Merck trial due to a potential risk of birth defects, Pfizer’s drug did not have any similar restrictions. The Merck drug works by interfering with the coronavirus’ genetic code, a novel approach to disrupting the virus.
