Pfizer starts testing Covid-19 pill on children under 18 years

• Results of the test are expected by the end of the year

• If successful, the drug would be the first Covid-19 pill to be used for children under 12

Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) has begun studying its five-day Covid-19 pill on children under 18 years of age to analyze if the drug can keep them from hospitalization.

The pharma company said on Wednesday the results of the study are expected by the end of the year. The first child enrolled on Monday.

The study is focused on determining if the drug Paxlovid, the first easy-to-take Covid-19 pill authorized in the U.S., can also be used for children infected by coronavirus.

According to studies, Paxlovid can reduce the risk of hospitalization or death due to Covid-19 by 88% if taken within five days of symptoms.

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“When it comes to Covid-19, they (children) are not exempt from the severe outcomes, and they do need treatment to prevent severe disease, particularly if they have risk factors that would lead to that,” said Dr. Anderson, who leads the company’s Paxlovid research, reported WSJ.

If the results of the study are positive, the drug would be the first Covid-19 pill to be used for children under 12 who cannot be vaccinated.

Also Read: Pfizer shares fall as Covid-19 vaccine and antiviral tablet forecasts miss estimates

Coronavirus has not proved to be as fatal for children as compared to adults. During the Omicron variant spread, though, children were hospitalized in large numbers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during the Omicron spread, the hospitalization rate for children under 18 years was 7.1 per 100,000 compared with 1.8 per 100,000 at Delta’s peak in September.

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