Coronavirus: The 'antibiotic' that may mark the end of the pandemic

Clinical trials are in the final stages for the drug molnupiravir, which raises significant hopes as an antibiotic treatment for those who have already contracted coronavirus.  It also appears to work prophylactically, preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Until now, medications to fight COVID-19 were administered only at hospitals.  But Molnupiravir, developed by the US pharmaceutical company Merck, can be taken at home just like any prescription antibiotic.

This drug appears to successfully inhibit RNA replication of many viruses, including the new coronavirus, as well as older ones such as SARS-CoV-1 and MERS.

When the coronavirus reproduces, it makes a copy of its own RNA, but this drug invades the new RNA, instructing it to self-destruct, causing the virus to die and clearing it out of the human body.

The company had announced the creation of the drug in March.  Studies in humans have now progressed, with the drug being administered to 202 symptomatic patients with Covid-19 (out of hospital) and results show that three days after administration the virus is significantly reduced in those with mild symptoms.  Only 2% of those who participated in the trial (taking 800 micrograms of molnupiravir) still had a viral load, compared with 17% of those receiving placebo.

Better yet, in the five days after starting treatment, all (100%) of those who received either 400 or 800 micrograms of the drug completely eliminated the coronavirus from their body, while 11% of those who took placebo still had a viral load.

The conclusion of the scientists, even before the completion of the clinical studies in hospitalized patients, is that not only does the drug cleanse the body of the coronavirus, but also prevents its transmission.

The success of this drug trial is big news.  And the benefits are huge.  Molnupiravir, and other pills with the same active ingredients, will be enough to prevent most cases of serious disease, but also prevent the mutation of the virus, since it essentially forces it to mutate into something stillborn, something that could be called the Ω Omega Mutation, which would put an end to the coronavirus nightmare.

Source: The Conversation