antiviral news

An antiviral drug approved in Japan to treat COVID-19 can be effective post-exposure prophylaxis, too.

A post-marketing trial finds the oral antiviral achieves effective blood concentrations in at-risk children aged 6 years or older with mild-to-moderate COVID. Medscape Medical News

Pfizer’s oral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and Novo Nordisk Pharma’s once-weekly basal insulin Awiqli (insulin icodec) are set for NHI price reductions in Japan under the cost-effectiveness assessment (CEA) scheme.

HKUMed–Tsinghua team develops first-in-class broad-spectrum small-molecule antiviral to combat SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses

Approval based on Phase 3 trial in 117 children showing a 5‑day once‑daily regimen is safe with pediatric PK similar to adults, supporting weight‑based dosing. The approval expands XOCOVA to include pediatric patients 6 years and older who weigh at least 20 kg and introduces 25 mg tablets. Impact on the company’s fiscal year 2027 results is expected to be minimal.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Shionogi's Xocova (ensitrelvir), an oral antiviral, for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) of COVID‑19 in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older.