According to a recent study conducted by Pfizer’s head of antivirals, Jennifer Hammond, and her team, Paxlovid, an antiviral drug, may not significantly reduce symptom duration for fully vaccinated individuals with at least one risk factor for severe COVID-19.
Paxlovid is a medication that comprises two active medicine pills, nirmatrelvir, and one “booster” medicine, ritonavir. It helps maintain effective levels of nirmatrelvir in the bloodstream.
The study, known as the phase 2/3 EPIC-SR trial, included 1,296 participants who were randomly assigned to receive either Paxlovid or a placebo every 12 hours for 5 days within 5 days of experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. The research was conducted from July 2021 to July 2022.
The most common risk factors identified were obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure, with only 2% of participants having heart or lung conditions predisposing them to severe COVID-19 infections. The results of the EPIC-SR trial support the current recommendation that Paxlovid is primarily intended for treating mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in high-risk individuals.
Approximately 26% of participants receiving Paxlovid reported adverse events, similar to the 24.1% in the placebo group. Participants rated their daily symptom severity on a 4-point scale, covering various symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, feverishness, muscle aches, and more.
The researchers emphasized the need for longer-term studies on Paxlovid to determine its efficacy in protecting against long COVID.
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