The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to authorize a pair of pills from Pfizer (PFE) and Merck & Co. (MRK) to treat COVID-19 by the end of this week.
An announcement may come as early as today (December 22), according multiple media reports.
Pfizer’s pill, Paxlovid, and Merck’s Molnupiravir are intended for higher-risk people who test positive for the coronavirus.
The treatments, in which patients take a series of pills at home over several days, could ease the burden on stretched hospitals with infections poised to soar through the winter in the U.S.
The FDA authorizations may come with limitations on who should get which drugs. A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee narrowly recommended the Merck pill last month, with some members of the panel citing safety concerns including for pregnant women.
Pfizer stock closed at $58.95 U.S. a share yesterday (December 21), down 3.4%, while Merck closed at $75.54 U.S., down about 1.1%.
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