MINNEAPOLIS — Could a little pill be a big break in the fight against COVID-19?
That’s the hope of drug company Merck, which said Friday that early tests show it cuts hospitalizations and deaths by half.
"The news of the efficacy of this particular antiviral is obviously very good news," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Minnesota doctors have seen that firsthand, with Allina Health System part of a trial testing the new drug. Abbott Northwestern Hospital Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Frank Rhame is on the Allina team giving it to unvaccinated people who are exposed to COVID but haven’t contracted it. He says even though results aren’t yet clear, he’s hopeful the pill can help prevent a virus that’s far worse than many believe.
"It will change things dramatically, " said Rhame. "It’s a pretty nasty disease. I think people regularly underestimate the disease but it kills people."
Merck’s own study tracked nearly 800 adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 who were considered high risk for severe disease. It says half the number of patients were hospitalized compared to those who took a placebo, and that the test group had no deaths. Now it’s asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies to approve its emergency use.
"If indeed it is authorized, the federal government has contracted to purchase 1.7 million doses to make this therapy available," said Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
Allina needs about 700 people to be part of its local trial, which involves four visits to its research clinic at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
If you want to participate, call the clinic at (612) 863-7047.