On Apr. 1, 2022, Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced data evaluating LAGEVRIO (molnupiravir), an investigational oral antiviral COVID-19 medicine In participants with infectious virus isolated at baseline and for whom post-baseline infectivity data were available, molnupiravir was associated with more rapid elimination of infectious virus than placebo.

In participants with infectious virus isolated at baseline and for whom post-baseline infectivity data were available, molnupiravir was associated with more rapid elimination of infectious virus than placebo. At Day 3 of treatment, among patients with infectious virus at baseline, infectious SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 0.0% (n=0/92) of patients who received LAGEVRIO, compared with 20.8% (n=20/96) of patients who received placebo. At Day 5, infectious virus was detected in 0.0% (n=0/91) of patients in the LAGEVRIO arm compared with 2.2% (n=2/89) in the placebo arm. At Day 10, no infectious virus was detected in either arm for patients with infectious virus at baseline.

Molnupiravir was also associated with greater mean reductions from baseline in SARS-CoV-2 RNA than placebo from Days 3 through 10, though molnupiravir and placebo were associated with comparable rates of viral RNA clearance through Day 29.