FDA grants EUA to Pfizer’s anti – COVID pill Paxlovid

Paxlovid, a Pfizer’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pill, is seen manufactured in Ascoli, Italy, in this undated handout photo obtained by Reuters on November 16, 2021. (Pfizer/Handout via REUTERS)

MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s antiviral COVID-19 pill Paxlovid, officer-in-charge Oscar Gutierrez said Friday.

Apart from Paxlovid, the FDA also granted an EUA for another brand of another COVID-19 treatment pill molnupiravir.

“Masaya kong binabalita na naaprubahan na namin ang paxlovid kahapon at mayroong nadagdag na isang mulnopriavir na gamot,” he said in a Laging Handa briefing.

(I am happy to announce that we have approved the Paxlovid yesterday and another brand of molnupiravir.)

Gutierrez said the molnupiravir brand is called Molenzavir, which is manufactured in Bangladesh.

The FDA earlier granted a compassionate use permit for a generic version of Paxlovid called Bexovid.

In December last year, the FDA approved an EUA for molnupiravir. The agency has approved six other brands of the anti-COVID pill since then.

gsg/MUF