Japanese COVID-19 Pill Claims Rapid Vanishing of Coronavirus Infection

Japanese drugmaker Shionogi & Co. recently revealed, through new data that fast clearance of the virus that's causing COVID-19.

As indicated in a VOA News report, the pill, S-217622, showed fast clearance of the contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to the company through the statement it released, citing Phase-2B from the Phase II clinical trial of the COVID-19 drug.

The drugmaker has worldwide aspirations for the antiviral pill, which is currently being evaluated by Japanese regulators.

The trial's findings, released on Sunday also demonstrated, that there was no substantial difference in the total score of 12 symptoms of COVID-19 between treatment arms, though the drug exhibited improvement in a composite score of five "feverish and respiratory" symptoms.

10 Million Doses of the COVID Pill Each Year

Shionogi said last month, that it would launch a worldwide Phase III trial for the drug with the United States government support, and Isao Teshifogi, Chief Executive has said production could reach 10 million doses each year.

Essentially, a similar NDTV report said, shares of Shionogi have been on a rollercoaster on the assumption about the success of the treatment. The stock rose Friday following a report that the US government is in talks to obtain supplies of the drug.

On April 13, the stock dropped by as much as 16 percent on reports that the drug poses dangers to pregnancies, according to preclinical data.

The US Government to Acquire the COVID-Pills

Late last week, The Japan Times also reported about the US government that has been holding talks with Shonogi about having its antiviral pill.

According to the director of the division of AIDS at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases or NIAID Carl Dieffenbach, who was tapped by Anthony Fauci to lead the Bidden administration's multibillion-dollar impact to develop antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and future pandemic threats, there is "a collective amnesia in this country" in terms of pandemic preparedness, and in a way, that's playing at the moment.

Dieffenbach did not make any comment, particularly o the talks of the drugmaker with the US government but rather on the more extensive state of antiviral development, not to mention stockpiling.

Global Reach of COVID Pill

Since its launch in June of the Antiviral Program for Pandemics, the US government has been collaborating with drug manufacturers like Pfizer and Shionogi to bring new drugs against COVID-19 to market.

A study of the drug of Shionogi supported by NIAID will launch worldwide at the end of this month. The US has focused on new candidates that provide a clear advantage over currently available treatments.

Meanwhile, Pfizer's Paxivoid is developed intentionally for high-risk patients within five days of symptom onset. Patients need to take three pills at a time, a combination of the drug and the booster pill, twice each day for five days.

This drug pill from Shionogi uses the same mechanism as the Pfizer COVID pill, although it will necessitate lesser pills.

On the first day of treatment, patients are provided with a higher dose of the drug, and then, over the following four days, they are given a single pill each day, minus the need for a boosting agent, a representative at the company explained.

Related report about the COVID pill is shown on Nippon TV News 24 Japan's YouTube video below:

Check out more news and information on COVID-19 in Science Times.