Editor’s note: As of 11/30/22, monoclonal antibodies are no longer used to treat COVID-19. While the treatment has been effective in the past, it no longer works against the newer COVID-19 variants. The COVID-19 pills, Paxlovid, are still very effective and are readily available at many retail pharmacies.
Joe Gastaldo, MD, System Medical Director of Infectious Diseases at OhioHealth has been looking at what could be added to combat COVID-19. In this Fast Fact, he’s talking about something we’re lacking right now: outpatient treatments. The only thing we have in our toolbox at this point in time are monoclonal antibodies to give to at-risk individuals who either have had a higher risk exposure, or at-risk individuals who are not sick enough to be in the hospital from a symptom of COVID-19. Moving forward, both Merck and Pfizer are working on antiviral oral medications. Both companies are doing phase three trials now. Merck is working on a product called Molnupiravir. Pfizer is working on a protease inhibitor. Both products are currently undergoing phase three trials and tentatively once the phase three trials are done, if the outcomes look positive, they will be reviewed by the FDA for emergency use authorization. With luck, that should happen sometime toward the end of 2021.
Want to learn more about common COVID-19 questions? Check our Fast Facts page.
