U.K. approves Pfizer oral antiviral Paxlovid for COVID-19

The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said it’s approved Pfizer’s PFE, +1.11% Paxlovid oral antiviral for people with mild to moderate COVID-19 and have at least one risk factor for developing severe illness. The regulator last month had approved Merck’s MRK, -0.65% Lagevrio. The regulator said it is too early to know whether the omicron variant has any impact on Paxlovid’s effectiveness. “We now have a further antiviral medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 that can be taken by mouth rather than administered intravenously. This means it can be administered outside a hospital setting, before COVID-19 has progressed to a severe stage,” said Dr. June Raine, the chief executive of the MHRA.