
From vaccines to drugs: Firms in new race for COVID-19 treatment

Pfizer, Roche, Atea, Merck, AstraZeneca, Regeneron, Eli Lilly and GlaxoSmithKline, Vir
Sopuruchi Onwuka, with agency reports

Pharmaceutical companies and health scientist are yet decelerate in the prevailing race for fame, market share and cash rewards from the global campaign against the dreaded novel coronavirus disease which has challenged existing medical remedies since late 2019.
World’s pharmaceutical giants including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and many other companies are already in market competition as governments across the globe scramble COVI-19 vaccine doses for citizens.
Rapid development and deployment of vaccines defied rigorous approval processes as global population in temperate regions of the earth suffered huge human tolls, and facilities even in highly developed countries became overwhelmed COVID patients flooded hospitals.
Whereas vaccines have tamed the infection speed and fatality rate of the global COVID-19 pandemic, new variants of the virus continue to maintain marginal growth in infection and fatality; challenging pharmaceutical firms with more work and commercial opportunities.
From vaccine jabs and booster shots, efforts are shifting to effective treatment as firms evolve new medicines that combat COVID-19 symptoms, reduce severity of disease, shorten and even prevent hospitalization.
Before the mass rollout of vaccines, the only effective medicine for treatment of COVID-19 was the costly Remsidivir from Gilead Sciences which remains in short supply across the world.

A review published in New England Journal of Medicine on May 22, 2020 stated that “remdesivir was superior to placebo in shortening the time to recovery in adults who were hospitalized with Covid-19 and had evidence of lower respiratory tract infection.”
Since then, Remsidivir rules the choice of treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients across the world as the manufacturers save millions of lives and haul in huge profits.
Last week, new medicines from manufacturers Merck and AstraZeneca entered new race for early approval for treatment of COVID-19 even as vaccine campaign maintain momentum across the globe.
Merck stated on October 3 that its antiviral pill, Molnupiravir, has been found to be effective against COVID-19; and it now seeks authorization for the drug to be freely deployed against COVID-19.

The Merck drug is designed to stop the coronavirus from replicating by inserting errors into its genetic code. Doctors will prescribe the treatment to patients, who will receive the pills from pharmacies.
The drug is meant to be taken as four capsules twice a day for five days — a total of 40 pills over the course of treatment.
Merck said the pill to treat Covid-19 was shown in a key clinical trial to halve the risk of hospitalization or death when given to high-risk people early in their infections.
Then on Tuesday, AstraZeneca announced its request for emergency use authorization from U.S. regulators for its new treatment to prevent COVID-19 for people who respond poorly to vaccines because of a weakened immune system.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Anglo-Swedish drug maker said it included data in its filing with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from a late-stage trial that showed the drug reduced the risk of people developing any COVID-19 symptoms by 77%.
The company stated that the antibody therapy called AZD7442 could protect people who do not have a strong enough immune response to COVID-19 vaccines or to supplement a vaccination course for those, such as military personnel, who need to booster their protection further, AstraZeneca has said.

While vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, AZD7442 contains lab-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection.
A U.S. authorization for AZD7442 – based on two antibodies discovered by Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the United States – could be a major win for AstraZeneca, whose widely used COVID-19 vaccine has yet to be approved by U.S. authorities.
Talks regarding supply agreements for AZD7442 are ongoing with the United States and other governments, AstraZeneca said.
Trial results on the AZD7442 therapy, first published in August, were taken three months after injection but the company hopes it can tout the shot as a year-long shield as trial investigators will follow up with participants as far out as 15 months.
The Oracle Today reports that COVID-19 therapies based on the same class of monoclonal antibodies are being developed by rivals Regeneron, Eli Lilly and GlaxoSmithKline with partner Vir, competing for a role in COVID-19 treatment and prevention.
The results of clinical trials of two other antiviral pills, one developed by Pfizer and the other from Atea Pharmaceuticals and Roche, are expected in the next few months.
Experts said such pills could be a powerful tool against the virus.