# Pfizer says COVID-19 pill near 90% effective in final analysis Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-12-14 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Pfizer's Paxlovid: 90% Efficacy Against Omicron Variant Meta Description: Pfizer's antiviral pill has shown near 90% efficacy in preventing hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk patients, including effectiveness against the URL: https://financedigest.com/pfizer-says-covid-19-pill-near-90-effective-in-final-analysishtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-12-14t121104z1lynxmpehbd0kurtroptp4health-coronavirus-treatments-pfizer-1736836560812-compressed.jpg) By Michael Erman and Deena Beasley NEW YORK (Reuters) – Pfizer Inc on Tuesday said final analysis of its antiviral COVID-19 pill still showed near 90% efficacy in preventing hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk patients, and recent lab data suggests the drug retains its effectiveness against the fast spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The U.S. drugmaker last month said the oral medicine was around 89% [effective in preventing](https://www.financedigest.com/technology-preventing-minor-regulation-causing-major-problems-the-butterfly-effect.html "Technology Preventing Minor Regulation Causing Major Problems: The Butterfly effect") hospitalizations or deaths when compared to placebo, based on interim results in around 1,200 people. The [data disclosed on Tuesday includes an additional 1,000 people](https://www.financedigest.com/nearly-60-of-people-are-worried-about-their-data-being-used-by-mobile-apps-but-continue-to-download-as-many-as-100-apps-over-the-course-of-a-year.html "Nearly 60% of people are worried about their data being used by mobile apps, but continue to download as many as 100 apps over the course of a year"). Nobody in the trial who received the Pfizer treatment died, compared with 12 deaths among placebo recipients. The Pfizer pills are taken with the older antiviral ritonavir [every 12 hours](https://www.financedigest.com/survey-shows-10-of-small-business-owners-get-less-than-4-hours-sleep-every-night-worrying-about-business-risks.html "Survey shows 10% of small business owners get less than 4 hours sleep every night, worrying about business risks") for five days beginning shortly after onset of symptoms. If authorized, the [treatment will be sold as Paxlovid](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-tests-positive-for-covid-has-mild-symptoms-taking-paxlovid-treatment.html "Biden tests positive for COVID, has mild symptoms, taking Paxlovid treatment"). It’s a stunning outcome,” Pfizer [Chief Scientific Officer](https://www.financedigest.com/host-analytics-appoints-chris-labruna-as-chief-revenue-officer.html "Host Analytics Appoints Chris LaBruna as Chief Revenue Officer") Mikael Dolsten said in an interview. We’re talking about a staggering number of [lives saved](https://www.financedigest.com/med-tech-innovators-pitch-for-the-chance-to-raise-funding-to-save-lives.html "Med tech innovators pitch for the chance to raise funding to save lives") and hospitalizations prevented. And of course, if you deploy this quickly after infection, we are likely to reduce transmission dramatically,” Dolsten said. Pfizer also released early [data from a second clinical trial suggesting](https://www.financedigest.com/big-data-suggests-leicesters-football-success-could-usher-in-economic-boom.html "Big data suggests Leicester’s football success could usher in economic boom") that the treatment reduced hospitalizations by around 70% in a smaller trial of standard-risk adults, including some higher-risk vaccinated people. The results were not statistically significant, but Pfizer said they showed a “positive data [trend for reduction in risk.”The trial did not show that the drug](https://www.financedigest.com/generic-oncology-drugs-market-2021-global-leading-companies-analysis-revenue-trends-and-forecasts-2027.html "Generic Oncology Drugs Market 2021 Global Leading Companies Analysis, Revenue, Trends and Forecasts 2027") alleviated symptoms of COVID-19 in the same population. The [results in standard-risk individuals are from interim analyses at 60% and 80% of enrollment of the now fully-enrolled trial of over 1,100 people](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-pm-sunak-election-results-show-people-want-us-to-deliver-for-them.html "UK PM Sunak: Election results show people want us to deliver for them"). Pfizer will [continue the trial and release more data](https://www.financedigest.com/new-client-secondsight-continues-psyons-transformation-of-employee-benefits-data-management-in-the-uk.html "New client Secondsight continues Psyon’s transformation of employee benefits data management in the UK") when its done. Dolsten said he expects authorization for use in high-risk individuals from the U.S. [Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory agencies](https://www.financedigest.com/world-food-prices-fall-to-two-year-low-in-may-un-food-agency.html "World food prices fall to two-year low in May – UN food agency") soon. He does not believe an FDA advisory panel [meeting will be needed](https://www.financedigest.com/institutions-need-to-consider-spreadsheet-management-to-meet-the-pras-latest-stress-testingexpectations.html "Institutions Need to Consider Spreadsheet Management to Meet the PRA’s Latest Stress Testing Expectations"). We’re in very advanced regulatory dialogues with both Europe and the UK, and we have dialogues with most of the major regulatory [agencies globally,”](https://www.financedigest.com/un-chief-backs-idea-of-global-ai-watchdog-like-nuclear-agency.html "UN chief backs idea of global AI watchdog like nuclear agency") Dolsten said. Pfizer submitted data to the U.S. FDA [last month](https://www.financedigest.com/fintech-trends-to-look-out-for-during-the-last-six-months-of-2019.html "Fintech trends to look out for during the last six months of 2019"), asking for emergency use authorization of the drug. The FDA’s decision could come within a matter of weeks, if not days, said Zarina Saidova, an analyst at Moscow-based Finam Holdings, as the new [data confirms what the company previously disclosed and submitted to the regulator](https://www.financedigest.com/aon-introduces-new-cyber-solution-in-response-to-eu-regulation-on-data-protection.html "Aon introduces new cyber solution in response to EU regulation on data protection"). Saidova expects Paxlovid to generate $15 billion to $20 billion in revenue next year, a significant [boost for the company in the face of a potential decline in vaccine sales](https://www.financedigest.com/ikea-stores-owner-ingka-says-campaigns-help-boost-store-visits-and-sales.html "IKEA stores owner Ingka says campaigns help boost store visits and sales"). There are currently no oral antiviral treatments for COVID-9 authorized in the United States. Rival Merck & Co has asked for emergency use authorization of its antiviral pill molnupiravir. But that drug only reduced hospitalizations and deaths in its clinical trial of high-risk patients by around 30%. Some scientists have also raised [safety concerns](https://www.financedigest.com/paris-considers-electric-scooter-ban-over-safety-concerns.html "Paris considers electric scooter ban over safety concerns") about the potential for birth defects from the Merck drug, as well as worries that it could cause the virus to mutate. [Pfizer’s drug](https://www.financedigest.com/bristol-myers-pfizer-abbvie-drugs-likely-to-face-u-s-price-negotiation.html "Bristol Myers, Pfizer, AbbVie drugs likely to face U.S. price negotiation") works differently. It is part of a class of drugs called protease inhibitors currently used to treat HIV, hepatitis C and other viruses. Pfizer [shares fell 0.8% to $54.75 in trading](https://www.financedigest.com/social-trading-is-the-new-way-that-gen-z-are-getting-their-share-of-the-pie.html "Social Trading is The New Way That Gen Z Are Getting Their Share of The Pie") before the bell, while Merck shares were flat at $72.69. Dolsten said recent [laboratory testing](https://www.financedigest.com/title-europe-direct-to-consumer-laboratory-testing-market-to-exhibit-26-cagr-by-2031-increasing-geriatric-population-and-growing-prevalence-of-infectious-diseases.html "Europe Direct-to-Consumer Laboratory Testing Market to Exhibit 26% CAGR by 2031; Increasing Geriatric Population and Growing Prevalence of Infectious Diseases") showed that activity against the protease of the Omicron variant is as “good as basically any SARS-COV-2 variant of concern. The company has said it can have 180,000 treatment courses ready to ship this [year and plans](https://www.financedigest.com/3-factors-to-plan-for-in-2017-a-year-like-none-other.html "3 Factors to Plan for in 2017, A Year Like None Other") to produce at least 80 million more in 2022. Dolsten said Pfizer is looking to [expand that output](https://www.financedigest.com/bosch-buys-us-semiconductor-foundry-to-expand-ev-chip-output.html "Bosch buys US semiconductor foundry to expand EV chip output") further as new variants, like the newly-discovered Omicron, could push the need for antivirals substantially higher. Current vaccines appear to be less effective at preventing infection with Omicron. Pfizer, which makes one of the leading COVID-19 vaccines with German partner BioNTech, has agreed to allow generic manufacturers to supply versions of the drug to 95 low- and middle-income countries through a licensing [agreement with international public health group](https://www.financedigest.com/aon-announces-agreement-to-acquire-risk-management-firm-creating-a-comprehensive-cyber-risk-management-advisory-group.html "Aon announces agreement to acquire risk management firm, creating a comprehensive cyber risk management advisory group") Medicines Patent Pool (MPP). However, Dolsten said that for [next year](https://www.financedigest.com/novartis-to-spin-off-generics-business-sandoz-next-year.html "Novartis to spin off generics business Sandoz next year") he expects the drug will be mainly produced by Pfizer. The U.S. government has already secured 10 million courses of the Pfizer [drug for $5.29 billion](https://www.financedigest.com/gsk-bets-2-billion-on-bellus-cough-drug-to-soothe-pipeline-fears.html "GSK bets billion on Bellus cough drug to soothe pipeline fears"). [(Reporting by Michael Erman in New Jersey and Deena Beasley in Los Angeles, Additional reporting by Mrinalika Roy; Editing by Bill Berkrot, Anil D’Silva and Nick Zieminski)](https://www.financedigest.com/lumen-releases-report-from-pwc-on-the-roi-of-attention-technology.html "Lumen Releases Report from PwC on the ROI of Attention Technology") --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---