Pfizer begins human testing of coronavirus pills

The American pharmaceutical company Pfizer is conducting the first phase of research on tablets against coronavirus.

The American pharmaceutical company Pfizer has begun human testing of the drug PF-07321332 for the treatment of coronavirus infection COVID-19, which can be used at the first sign of illness, before hospitalization. This was announced on March 23 by the press service of the company.

This antiviral drug will need to be taken orally (the Financial Times specifies that it will be in pill form).

"Given the way the coronavirus mutates and the long-term global impact of COVID-19, it is likely that access to therapy will be important both now and in the aftermath of the pandemic," said Pfizer Chief Scientist Mikael Dolsten.

Pfizer is also testing the antiviral drug PF-07304814, which is administered intravenously. They plan to use it in the treatment of patients with a more severe form of the disease - those who have already been hospitalized.

The agency noted that the Pfizer candidate is the third COVID-19 drug currently being tested. The first was developed by the American company Merck & Co., the second - by the Swiss Roche Holding together with the American Atea Pharmaceuticals.

At the moment, remdesivir from the American company Gilead Sciences is the only drug approved by the American regulator for the treatment of COVID-19 (while the World Health Organization urged to stop using remdesivir for patients with coronavirus disease, regardless of the severity of its course, since there is currently no evidence of it efficiency).