KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia today received its first batch of 48,000 doses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid, as the nation looks to broaden its treatment options for hospitalised Covid-19 patients.
Health Ministry Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a tweet that the batch of antiviral drugs is now with Pharmaniaga Logistic Sdn Bhd, and will be used to treat patients aged 18 and older who do not require oxygen therapy but are at high risk of severe symptoms.
Alhamdulillah, 48,000 stok ubat PAXLOVID (PF-07321332/Nirmatrelvir 150mg Film-Coated Tablets & Ritonavir 100mg Film-Coated Tablets) telah selamat sampai di Pharmaniaga Logistic Sdn Bhd. pic.twitter.com/7MqF0cLY48
— Noor Hisham Abdullah (@DGHisham) April 11, 2022
However, he stressed that the medication is not meant to be a replacement for Covid-19 vaccinations.
“The use of Paxlovid as an antiviral drug for the treatment of Covid-19 is another weapon to fight the virus,” Noor Hisham said.
“For optimal effectiveness, it is given immediately after a person is detected positive for Covid-19 and within five days of symptoms showing.”
On March 3, the Malaysian Drug Control Authority had issued conditional approval for Paxlovid.
Paxlovid was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in December for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in adults and those aged 12 and above.
It consists of nirmatrelvir, which inhibits a SARS-CoV-2 protein to stop the virus from replicating, and ritonavir, which slows down nirmatrelvir’s breakdown to help it remain in the body for a longer period at higher concentrations. – The Vibes, April 11, 2022
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