On Oct. 1, 2021, Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced that molnupiravir (MK-4482, EIDD-2801), an investigational oral antiviral medicine, significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization or death at a planned interim analysis of the Phase 3 MOVe-OUT trial in at risk, non-hospitalized adult patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

At the interim analysis, molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by approximately 50% compared with placebo-treated patients. At the recommendation of an independent Data Monitoring Committee and in consultation with the FDA, recruitment into the study is being stopped early due to these positive results.