Pfizer to conduct trials of antiviral COVID-19 pill in Russia

MOSCOW: Russia has granted approval for Pfizer Inc to conduct clinical trials in Russia of its experimental antiviral pill to treat COVID-19, a state registry of medicines showed on Tuesday.

The trials conducted on 90 people located in home-like conditions with someone who has symptomatic COVID-19 began on Nov. 12 and will continue until March 2023, the registry's website said.

Pfizer said earlier this month the experimental antiviral pill cut by 89% the chance of hospitalisation or death for adults at risk of severe disease. It hopes to make the pill available globally as quickly as possible.

The pill has the brand name Paxlovid. (Reporting by Polina Nikolskaya; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Kirsten Donovan)