The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday endorsed the use of Pfizer Inc's oral COVID-19 antiviral treatment in high-risk patients after an analysis of trial data by the U.N. agency showed the therapy dramatically cut the risk of hospitalisation.
A WHO analysis of two Paxlovid clinical trials involving nearly 3,100 patients suggested it reduced the risk of hospitalisation by 85%. In high-risk patients - those with over 10% risk of hospitalisation - using Paxlovid could lead to 84 fewer hospitalisations per 1,000 patients, the agency said.
However, there are challenges that could limit the adoption of Paxlovid. Given it needs to be taken in the early stages of disease to be effective, access to quick and accurate tests are imperative to identify patients. These factors have caused Paxlovid supply to eclipse demand in countries where it has been available for some time.Pfizer has, and continues to, strike deals to sell the treatment in a number of countries, but details around pricing remain largely confidential.
This deal accounts for just over 3% of Pfizer's projected production of 120 million courses this year.