Countries across the world are ensuring all possible efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. To support these efforts, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is conducting trials of an anti-viral drug that could be given to COVID-19 infected people at early stages of illness.

Named "PF-07321332", the drug is being described as the first oral anti-viral against Coronavirus to reach late-stage trials.

What is the Pfizer's drug?

PF-07321332 is a protease inhibitor which means that it inhibits the action of enzymes (substances that accelerate biochemical reactions) called proteases. As proteases break the bonds between long strings of protein sub-units, they are used by Coronavirus to produce proteins needed to replicate within human cells. Without proteases, the virus will not be to multiply.

In another project, researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi are working on identifying protease inhibitors that could effectively combat COVID-19.

What do Pfizer’s trials involve?

In the first week of September, Pfizer announced the launch of the trials of its drug in people who were mildly infected with Sars-CoV-2. In addition, Pfizer had conducted a similar trial of the drug in people at greater risk of serious illness. The results of the trial are expected to arrive before the end of this year.

As part of the study, some participants (all infected with Coronavirus) will be given the drug, along with a second drug aimed at increasing its effectiveness, every 12 hours for five days. Meanwhile, other participants will be given a placebo.

Why could these drugs be significant?

While vaccines offer protection against a disease, they are not completely effective in preventing serious illnesses or ending the virus, particularly when the virus is developing with new variants.

Scientists have been conducting various forms of study to understand drug treatments among seriously ill people and hospitalisation cases. The study have significantly improved since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world and have helped in improving survival rates.

Significantly, Pfizer’s protease inhibitor may prevent infected people from reaching the stage of severe illness. According to David Taylor, professor emeritus of pharmaceutical and public health policy at University College London, it is an early-stage treatment that can stop the disease from reaching the last stage and prevent any dangerous impact of the virus. He further stated that such early-stage drugs, if proven effective, could help regions experiencing major COVID-19 outbreaks.

“If we can find a small molecule for (use as an) early-stage antiviral, that’s the way out of the pandemic, obviously complementing in this case vaccines,” he added.

What are the other emerging treatments?

Earlier this month, American pharmaceutical giant Merck and another American company Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced advanced trials of a drug aimed at combating the COVID-19 virus at the early-stage. The two companies are studying whether their drug "molnupiravir" can help in preventing the disease within households.

Interestingly, Molnupiravir works in a different way as compared to the Pfizer drug. However, the aim of the two drugs is the same - to prevent Coronavirus from replicating and resulting in severe infection.

As per the results of earlier trials released in June, the drug potentially helped people in clearing the virus from their system. Furthermore, participants from various countries in the latest trials will be living in the same household as someone with the disease. They will be be given molnupiravir or a placebo orally every 12 hours for five days. The authorities will be monitoring them two weeks to understand the impact of the drug on their illness. 

The National