What do we know about the treatment EIDD2801 and how it works against COVID-19?
What do we know about the treatment EIDD2801 and how it works against COVID-19?
This explainer is more than 90 days old. Some of the information might be out of date or no longer relevant. Browse our homepage for up to date content or request information about a specific topic from our team of scientists.
This article has been translated from its original language. Please reach out if you have any feedback on the translation.
EIDD-2801, also called Molnupiravir, is an oral antiviral drug that was developed by the Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD). It was originally developed to treat influenza. It is in Phase II/III of its clinical trials as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Similar in function to Remdesivir, EIDD-2801 targets the enzymes in the COVID-19 virus and replaces them with another compound. This switching creates mutations in the virus that make it incapable of functioning. The nonprofit biotechnology company owned by Emory University, Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) partnered with a biotechnology company in Miami, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to start the clinical trials for this treatment. Ridgeback has partnered with Merck & Co. to develop and distribute EIDD-2801.
EIDD-2801, also called Molnupiravir, is an oral antiviral drug that was developed by the Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD). It was originally developed to treat influenza. It is in Phase II/III of its clinical trials as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Similar in function to Remdesivir, EIDD-2801 targets the enzymes in the COVID-19 virus and replaces them with another compound. This switching creates mutations in the virus that make it incapable of functioning. The nonprofit biotechnology company owned by Emory University, Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) partnered with a biotechnology company in Miami, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to start the clinical trials for this treatment. Ridgeback has partnered with Merck & Co. to develop and distribute EIDD-2801.
Publication
What our experts say
EIDD-2801, also called Molnupiravir, is an oral antiviral drug that was developed by the Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD). It was originally developed to treat influenza. It is in Phase II/III of its clinical trials as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Similar in function to Remdesivir, EIDD-2801 targets the enzymes in the COVID-19 virus and replaces them with another compound. This switching creates mutations in the virus that make it incapable of functioning.
The nonprofit biotechnology company owned by Emory University, Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) partnered with a biotechnology company in Miami, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to start the clinical trials for this treatment. Ridgeback has partnered with Merck & Co. to develop and distribute EIDD-2801.
EIDD-2801, also called Molnupiravir, is an oral antiviral drug that was developed by the Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD). It was originally developed to treat influenza. It is in Phase II/III of its clinical trials as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Similar in function to Remdesivir, EIDD-2801 targets the enzymes in the COVID-19 virus and replaces them with another compound. This switching creates mutations in the virus that make it incapable of functioning.
The nonprofit biotechnology company owned by Emory University, Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) partnered with a biotechnology company in Miami, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to start the clinical trials for this treatment. Ridgeback has partnered with Merck & Co. to develop and distribute EIDD-2801.
Context and background
EIDD-2801 had shown broad-spectrum activity against influenza, Ebola, and SARS-CoV/MERS-CoV, and was therefore considered for SARS-CoV-2. It works by inhibiting the replication of multiple RNA viruses.
EIDD-2801 had shown broad-spectrum activity against influenza, Ebola, and SARS-CoV/MERS-CoV, and was therefore considered for SARS-CoV-2. It works by inhibiting the replication of multiple RNA viruses.
Resources
1. Therapeutically administered ribonucleoside analogue MK-4482/EIDD-2801 blocks SARS-CoV-2 transmission in ferrets (Nature - Microbiology)
2. The Safety of Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801) and Its Effect on Viral Shedding of SARS-CoV-2 (END-COVID) (ClinicalTrials.gov)
3. Molnupiravir (MK-4482/EIDD-2801) Antiviral (Precision Vaccinations)
4. Oral drug blocks SARS-CoV-2 transmission, researchers find (Science Daily)
5. Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801) inhibits SARS-CoV2 replication in Syrian hamsters model (bioRxiv)
6. Emory, collaborators testing antiviral drug as potential treatment for coronaviruses (Emory)
7. An emerging antiviral takes aim at COVID-19 (c&en)
1. Therapeutically administered ribonucleoside analogue MK-4482/EIDD-2801 blocks SARS-CoV-2 transmission in ferrets (Nature - Microbiology)
2. The Safety of Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801) and Its Effect on Viral Shedding of SARS-CoV-2 (END-COVID) (ClinicalTrials.gov)
3. Molnupiravir (MK-4482/EIDD-2801) Antiviral (Precision Vaccinations)
4. Oral drug blocks SARS-CoV-2 transmission, researchers find (Science Daily)
5. Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801) inhibits SARS-CoV2 replication in Syrian hamsters model (bioRxiv)
6. Emory, collaborators testing antiviral drug as potential treatment for coronaviruses (Emory)
7. An emerging antiviral takes aim at COVID-19 (c&en)
