Merck & Co Inc said on Tuesday its COVID-19 pill was ineffective in reducing the risk of infection in people exposed to an infected individual in the same household.
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The pill, Lagevrio, also known as molnupiravir, is already approved in markets, including the United States and Europe, to treat high-risk COVID-19 patients.
The late-stage trial showed that participants treated with the pill were 23.6% less likely to develop COVID than those given a placebo, failing to meet the main goal of the trial, Merck said.
Last June, Pfizer Inc halted enrollments in a trial for its COVID-19 antiviral drug, Paxlovid, to treat standard-risk patients after a study showed the treatment was not effective in reducing symptoms in that group.