Clinical trial seeks to test Molnupiravir's potential in preventing COVID-19

A clinical trial is seeking to test Molnupiravir's potential as post-exposure treatment in preventing coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious disease expert said Saturday, Feb. 5.

Dr. Benjamin Co, clinical investigator of Asian Hospital and Medical Center, said the first study proved that Molnupiravir's antiviral shown to be highly effective against SARS-CoV-2, a virus which causes COVID-19.

"Yung Move Out na clinical trial, yung objective nun is to see kung effective itong gamot na ito sa mga may COVID. So nakita natin na talagang mas naiiklian ang symptoms at naiibsan ang ibang symptoms ng mga pasyente at maraming hindi nagpo-proceed para mag-severe cases (The Move Out clinical trial's objective was to see if this drug is effective for those with COVID. We saw that it reduced other symptoms of patients and many did not proceed to severe cases)," Co explained during the Laging Handa briefing.

"Ang clinical trial po na ginagawa natin ngayon ay sa bagong indikasyon. It has not been proven na pwede nating gamiting ito for post-exposure prophylaxis at ito po ang tinitingnan natin ngayon (This current clinical trial that we're doing is to test new indications. It has not been proven that we can use it as post-exposure prophylaxis and this is what we're looking at now)," he added.

Co said post-exposure prophylaxis means taking medicine to prevent COVID-19 after a possible exposure.

The Philippines is among the four Asian countries included in the clinical trial, alongside Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Molnupiravir was made available as an investigational drug for the treatment of COVID-19 through a compassionate special permit (CSP) granted by the Food and Drug Administration.