New Oral Antiviral Drug From China Shows Promising Results Against Omicron Variant of COVID-19 Virus

According to a short clinical trial, an oral antiviral medication co-developed by Shanghai Junshi Biosciences' subsidiary and other Chinese institutes showed early promise in quickening virus clearance in COVID-19 patients. VV116 is a derivative of Gilead Sciences Inc's COVID-19 medication remdesivir.

Oral COVID-19 Medication From China Effective vs. Omicron

Chinese state news site Xinhua (via Big News Network) said Fudan University researchers conducted an open, prospective cohort trial in 136 patients hospitalized from March 8 to 24 to assess the safety and efficacy of VV116. It was when the Omicron variant surged.

According to the study published on Wednesday in the journal Emerging Microbes & Infections, 60 patients who underwent conventional therapy received VV116, and 76 patients did not.

The study underscored that those in the treatment group who got VV116 within five days after their initial positive test had an average viral shedding time of 8.56 days. In contrast, those in the control group had an average viral shedding time of 11.13 days.

The VV116 group also recorded nine minor adverse events, seven of which were mild liver function abnormalities. All issues were handled without the need for assistance.

Researchers said VV116 is a safe and efficient oral antiviral medication that improves performance during the early stages of Omicron infection.

VV116 has begun worldwide studies in moderate and severe COVID-19 patients after demonstrating its safety and tolerability in healthy persons.

According to Reuters, the study's limitations include small sample size and a larger proportion of control group participants reporting symptoms, which might lead to bias that researchers had to correct with a statistical model.

A Phase III experiment is underway to compare the drug's efficacy in mild to moderate patients to Pfizer's oral tablet Paxlovid and a separate Phase III trial in moderate to severe instances.

Paxlovid and Brii Biosciences Ltd's antibody-based injection for mild and intermediate COVID patients with a high risk of advancing to severe diseases has been licensed in China.

About The Oral COVID-19 Drugs

One of the most targeted candidates is VV116, an oral anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleoside candidate developed jointly by the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Global Times said VV116 had been licensed in Uzbekistan to treat COVID-19, and it is now being tested in multiple Phase 3 clinical trials in COVID-19 patients.

Pfizer's COVID-19 therapy medication Paxlovid was previously approved by China and is now being used to treat some of the country's COVID-19 patients. Clinical trials comparing the effects of Paxlovid and VV116 are also being conducted by Chinese researchers.

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