CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – A new international trial revealed a drug that could be used to prevent Covid-19.
A drug called ensitrelvir can help prevent Covid-19 in people who have been exposed within households. This finding comes from an international clinical trial a UVA School of Medicine professor helped design.
“Overall, it was highly effective for protecting the household contacts from developing Covid during that 10-day period,” said UVA School of Medicine Professor, Dr. Frederick Hayden.
To test the drug’s ability to help protect against Covid, researchers conducted a study with more than 2,000 people. Each was given either a placebo or the study drug, ensitrelvir.
“Then they had to start the study drug within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms in the person who was ill in the household. They themselves were shown to be negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and they did not have symptoms,” said Hayden.
Ensitrelvir is already being used in Japan to treat mild to moderate Covid cases. Hayden hoped one day this drug will get FDA approval to be used in the U.S.
“I’m hoping that in the future, this would be a possibility for protecting individuals, in particular those with risk conditions, if they had an exposure to SARS-CoV-2,” said Hayden.
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