Pfizer's COVID-19 Antiviral Candidate Shows Potential To Reduce Risk Of Hospitalization By 89%

(RTTNews) - Pfizer Inc. (PFE) said its investigational COVID-19 oral antiviral candidate, PAXLOVID, significantly reduced hospitalization and death, based on an interim analysis of the phase 2/3 EPIC-HR double-blind study of non-hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19, who are at high risk of progressing to severe illness. In the study, PAXLOVID was found to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by 89% compared to placebo in non-hospitalized high-risk adults with COVID-19, the company said.

Pfizer noted that, in the overall study population through day 28, no deaths were reported in patients who received PAXLOVID as compared to 10 deaths in patients who received placebo.

"These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorized by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients' lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations," said Albert Bourla, CEO, Pfizer.

Pfizer plans to submit the data as part of its ongoing rolling submission to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization as soon as possible.

Shares of Pfizer Inc. were up 10% in pre-market trade on Friday.