Even before the drug had obtained the approval of the European Medicines Agency, the French government placed its pawns on it. This Tuesday, Olivier Véran announced that France had ordered “50,000 doses” of anti-covid pills developed by the American laboratory Merck. The French Minister of Health assured that this treatment could be a game-changer in the fight against the epidemic. Why is the government relying so heavily on these swallowable pills? 20 minutes make the point.
What is this pill?
It takes a bit of concentration at first to pronounce its five-syllable name: molnupiravir. Even more for its scientific name: MK-4482 / EIDD-2801. This broad-spectrum antiviral developed by the American laboratory Merck comes in the form of a tablet which is taken orally. According to laboratory tests on nearly 800 patients, molnupiravir halves the number of severe cases in patients infected with the coronavirus.
On the other hand, a study published in December by researchers at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Georgia (United States), showed that it would block the transmission of the virus in 24 to 36 hours.
Why have additional treatment when the effectiveness of vaccines is proven?
A large study published in early October confirms that the Pfizer vaccine still protects 90% of hospitalizations six months after the last injection. At the end of September, researchers from the American Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) showed that the Moderna vaccine has an effectiveness rate of 91% over the period of 14 to 120 days after the injection. Besides, the efficacy of 50% of molnupiravir in severe cases seems very low.
However, as Olivier Véran recalled, molnupiravir cannot be the only response to the epidemic. Moreover, it is not intended to replace the vaccine, but rather to supplement it. The tablet does not immunize against the coronavirus and is not intended to be taken preventively. The latter must be given to patients who have just tested positive for Covid-19 in order to prevent them from developing a severe form of the disease and to reduce the risk of transmission. We can also assume that it may not be given systematically to all people who test positive for Covid-19, but in priority to the most vulnerable.
A pill that’s easier to swallow than the vaccine?
Vaccination coverage in France has reached very satisfactory rates with 88% of the population over 18 years fully vaccinated and 90% having received at least one dose according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health. However, the vaccine constraint imposed by the obligation of the health pass is still reluctant. The vaccination campaign is progressing very slowly in the Overseas. In Martinique, only
34% of residents had received two injections by October 3. Last Saturday, another 40,000 people demonstrated against the health pass. According to Olivier Véran, this drug taken in oral form could therefore be used much easier than intravenous treatments such as, for example, those based on synthetic antibodies.
What are its disadvantages?
While health is priceless, it still has a cost. And for molnupiravir it is quite high. If Olivier Véran did not specify the amount of the purchase, the American example allows us to get a little idea. The United States this year ordered 1.7 million doses of molnupiravir for $ 1.2 billion, or about $ 700 each. The 50,000 doses from France could therefore represent 35 million euros.
Olivier Véran also insisted during his announcement on the importance of vaccination against Covid-19. Without a good communication campaign accompanying the deployment of this drug, some French people might think that molnupiravir could replace the vaccine. A risk of a slowdown in French vaccination coverage is therefore not to be put aside.
When will molnupiravir be available in France?
The Minister of Health assured that the tablets would arrive in France as soon as they leave the production lines, that is to say “from the last days of November or the first days of December”. Unless there is a completely unfavorable opinion from the European Medicines Agency which launched an accelerated review of the pill on Monday, it could therefore be administered before the Christmas period.