PETALING JAYA: The antiviral drug Molnupiravir will not replace vaccines but will offer an alternative in treating Covid-19 patients, health experts have pointed out.

       Universiti Malaya epidemiologist Prof Datuk Dr Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud said the drug could reduce transmission in patients.

       “Molnupiravir is supposed to suppress replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus so hopefully, it will prove effective against variants with mutations occurring in the spike protein.

       “That would be its advantage over monoclonal antibodies – but again, whether the virus mutates to try to evade the drug remains to be seen,” he said when contacted yesterday.

       Dr Awang Bulgiba said Molnupiravir’s advantage is that it can be taken orally, so it can be administered to outpatients.

       However, he believed the drug would not eliminate the need for vaccines, which work by stimulating the body to mount its own defence against Covid-19.

       He added that the drug is effective when it is administered, after which it would likely be metabolised by the body.

       On Thursday, the government signed an agreement with Merck Sharp & Dohme to procure 150,000 courses of Molnupiravir.

       Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had said that the procurement was in preparation for the country’s move into the endemic phase and living with the Covid-19 virus.

       He also said that research conducted by Merck found that Molnupiravir is able to reduce 50% of hospital admissions and is effective against more infectious variants of Covid-19 including Gamma, Delta and Mu.

       However, he stressed that Molnupiravir does not prevent Covid-19 infections and is only for treatment, adding that the pill will also be given free of charge to Covid-19 patients who are symptomatic for at least five days or Categories 3 to 5 patients.

       Universiti Putra Malaysia consultant clinical microbiologist Prof Dr Zamberi Sekawi said this drug would be another weapon in the arsenal against the virus.

       “We now have an oral antiviral pill which gives a lot of flexibility in treating a Covid-19 patient. If it is not an oral pill then a patient will still need to be hospitalised,” he said.

       In terms of safety of the pill, Dr Zamberi, who is also Malaysian Society of Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy president, said since the pill is still new, there is a need to monitor its side effects.

       “At the moment, (the pill) is therapeutic – meaning that if you are sick, you will be given this pill,” he said, adding that it would be better if there was a prophylaxis pill similar to what influenza has right now.

       Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) president Amrahi Buang said vaccines are not the same as antiviral drugs.

       “Vaccines are preventive and only promote immunisation for the body to fight against the virus. An antiviral kills the virus, it acts on the virus itself,” he said. But, Amrahi added the drug still needs to undergo pharmacovigilance – to be monitored – as it is still new.

       With interstate travel reopening today, and Khairy urging those who want to travel to conduct their own Covid-19 self-tests, Amrahi also urged the government to ensure the kits remain a medical device sold only at pharmacies and private healthcare facilities.

       “We hope the government will not liberalise the selling of self-test kits in the market as we are professionals who want to do our job right by helping the country control the pandemic.

       “We can verify the results, take responsibility, educate the public about the test kits and the various variants,” he said.