I HAVE been hearing a lot about the new Covid-19 treatments. What are they actually?You have probably been reading and hearing about the new oral Covid-19 drugs.

       They are actually anti-viral medications.

       They inhibit the replication of certain RNA (ribonucleic acid) viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for causing Covid-19.

       One of them has just been approved in the United Kingdom, right?Yes, it is called molnupiravir and is sold by the American pharmaceutical company Merck and Co, which is known as Merck, Sharpe and Dohme (MSD) outside the United States.

       It acts by causing copying errors or mutations when the virus’ RNA replicates, thus rendering the replication ineffective.

       This causes the virus to slowly die out as it fails to multiply in the host’s body.

       Another drug, which goes by the designation PF-07321332, is by the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

       This drug has not been approved yet though.

       How are these drugs different from the Covid-19 vaccines?Well, these anti-viral treatments actually fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is already inside our body by inhibiting replication, thus ultimately killing the infection and its spread.

       A Covid-19 vaccine, like the ones most of us have been inoculated with, acts by stimulating our immune system to produce our own antibodies to fight off a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

       An antiviral acts like an antibiotic, but against viruses instead of bacteria.

       All this has progressed rather quickly.

       I mean, Covid-19 has only been around since the end of 2019, and now we have a possible cure for it?

       I thought we were still struggling to find the cure for the common cold!Molnupiravir was originally developed to treat influenza at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, the US, in 2018.

       The drug was subsequently acquired by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, a Miami-based company, which then partnered with Merck and Co to further develop the drug.

       It was discovered to be effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus when the scientific team decided to test it last year.

       The name of the drug, molnupinavir, was inspired by Thor’s magic hammer, Mjolnir.

       Thor is the name of the Norse god of thunder, and also one of the Avengers in the Marvel comics and movies.

       Is it very effective against Covid-19?Yes. It was approved by the UK on Nov 4.

       Molnupinavir must be taken orally as soon as the first symptoms of Covid-19 appear.

       It can then prevent the disease from progressing and becoming more severe, as well as preventing hospitalisation.

       The drug decreases the risk of this by 50%.

       It works well against the different SARS-CoV-2 viral variants, including the Delta and Gamma variants.

       What about the drug from Pfizer?Studies on this drug claim that it reduces the development of severe Covid-19 and hospitalisation by as much as 90%.

       But these results should not be compared to molnupiravir as the study trial protocols used to test both drugs were different.

       There are currently no direct comparison trials that have been done between the two.

       As mentioned earlier, PF-07321332 is not yet approved by any country at time of writing.

       Yet another drug that is already available in the world as an anti-depressant, called fluvoxamine, has also shown good early results in preventing severe forms of Covid-19.

       This data was first published last month by Brazilian researchers.

       It should be noted that the data on these new therapies – molnupinavir and PF-07321332 – have yet to be extensively scrutinised and studied by the wider community of scientists.

       I thought there was another treatment used to treat Covid-19 patients – an antibody treatment that was given to former US president Donald Trump when he got Covid-19?There are indeed SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies available for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

       These monoclonal antibodies target the spike protein on the virus’ surface. They are usually given to patients who have severe Covid-19 symptoms.

       They have to be given intravenously and in a hospital setting.

       Contrast this to the pills, which can be taken by mouth and as soon as mild symptoms start, which means that you can start to take them while quarantining at home.

       How many days do I have to take molnupinavir or PF-07321332?

       The two drugs are meant to be taken orally twice a day for five consecutive days.

       But are they safe to take?

       I’m just worried because they are so new and they have been developed so quickly.The data shows that both molnupinavir and PF-07321332 have shown very few severe side effects.

       Contrast that against the dangers of severe Covid-19, and it is a safe bet to say their benefits far outweigh any potential side effects.

       Also, remember that molnupinavir has been in development for the past four years.

       Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.