A DAILY pill to treat coronvirus at home could be available in months, scientists have claimed.
Patients who have recently been diagnosed with Covid are currently being tested for the antiviral drug, molnupiravir.
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It is hoped that the daily pills will fight the virus after early diagnosis and prevent symptoms developing further.
This could prevent people from being hospitalized with the virus, which would reduce pressure on already stretched healthcare services.
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA is conducting the trial.
Participants in the trial are not told if they will be receiving anti-viral drugs, or a placebo.
Patients are prescribed four pills daily.
Miranda Kelly, her husband Joe Kelly, and two patients took part in the trial. After two weeks, they said that they felt fine.
They did not know whether they had been administered the drug or the antibiotic, but reported that their symptoms were significantly better after a week.
Miranda, who has diabetes and high blood pressure, had trouble breathing the first time she was tested positive for Covid.
She told NBC that she was shocked that she was able to recover so fast with all her underlying health issues.
Anti-viral drugs are already used as treatment for other viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis C.
Virologist at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Timothy Sheahan said the drugs being trialled have the potential to not only curtail the duration of one’s Covid-19, but also have the potential to limit transmission to people in your household if you are sick.
Carl Dieffenbach is the director of the Division of AIDS of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He said that the results of “what these pills can do” could be found in the coming months.
Molnupiravir, the main contender, is also being tested. Two other antiviral drugs are being investigated, one from Pfizer (PF-07321332) and AT-527, both manufactured by Roche and Atea Pharmaceuticals.
How do they work?
These anti-virals work by interfering in the virus’s ability replicate human cells.
These drugs force cells to make so many mistakes, that the virus can’t reproduce. This results in a lower viral load for patients.
This will reduce infection time and decrease the chance of dangerous responses, such as having to be put on a ventilator.
Remdesivir was approved by the UK in May 2020.
It was the ‘biggest breakthrough’ in Covid treatment at the time.
It was found to be almost three times faster in helping coronavirus patients who were hospitalized.
The drug is given through an IV and is designed to interfere with the virus’s ability to copy its genetic material.
It is administered by intramuscular injection for approximately ten days.
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