Another antiviral drug used for the treatment Covid-19 patients will soon be made locally available, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
On Monday, FDA office-in-charge director general Oscar G. Gutierrez, Jr. announced they approved the compassionate special permit application of the Department of Health (DOH) for Bexovid.
He explained Bexovid is a generic equivalent to Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 pill, Paxlovid.
Local distributor-importer Biocare Lifescience, Inc. will supply the DOH with Bexovid, which it will make available possibly in government hospitals.
“So because it is generic, it is expected to be a cheaper treatment [compared] to Paxlovid,” Gutierrez said.
Reduced risk of hospitalization
Data from Pfizer said the use of Bexovid could reduce the risk of hospitalization or death among Covid-19 patients by 89 percent when given within three days of symptom onset, and by 88 percent when given within five days of symptoms onset.
“This will help so hospitals and health-care workers will not be overwhelmed,” Gutierrez said.
He said Pfizer is expected to file for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Bexovid before the end of the month.
Aside from Bexovid, FDA allowed the local use of three other Covid-19 antiviral drugs.
Of which, Ronapreve and Molnarz were issued EUAs, while Covifor was able to secure a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR).
Home test kits
In a related development, Gutierrez said they are currently processing two product applications of a special certification of “self-administered” Covid-19 test kit.
He said they have already endorsed the product to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) to undergo validation.
“Once RITM completes [its validation], the FDA could issue the special certification [for the said product],” Gutierrez said.
Currently, he said, FDA has yet to authorize the use of any “self-administered test kit” or “home test kit.”
Demand for such product is high due to the recent surge in Covid-19 infections and the costly swab tests being conducted by labs.
Image credits: Pfizer via AP