Nirmatrelvir, Molnupiravir Use Lowers Risks for Omicron-Infected
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Sept. 25, 2023 -- For patients infected with omicron at high risk for progression to severe disease, treatment with nirmatrelvir or molnupiravir is associated with reductions in mortality and hospitalization, according to a study published online Sept. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
Dan-Yu Lin, Ph.D., from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and colleagues examined the association of nirmatrelvir or molnupiravir use with the risks for hospitalization and death among patients infected with new omicron subvariants in a cohort study of patients who received a diagnosis of COVID-19 from April 1, 2022, to Feb. 20, 2023, and who had a high risk for progression to severe disease. During this time, the omicron variant evolved from BA.2 to BA.4/BA.5, then to BQ.1/BQ.1.1, and finally to XBB/XBB.1.5.
Data were included for 68,867 patients: 22,594 treated with nirmatrelvir, 5,311 treated with molnupiravir, and 40,962 who received no treatment. The researchers found that 30, 27, and 588 patients treated with nirmatrelvir, treated with molnupiravir, and who received no treatment, respectively, died within 90 days of omicron infection. The adjusted hazard ratios for death were 0.16 and 0.23 for nirmatrelvir and molnupiravir, respectively. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratios for hospitalization or death were 0.63 and 0.59. Across subgroups defined by age, race and ethnicity, date of COVID-19 diagnosis, vaccination status, previous infection status, and coexisting conditions, the association of both drugs with both conditions were observed.
"Both drugs can, therefore, be used to treat nonhospitalized patients who are at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical and publishing industries.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted September 2023
Read this next
Mortality Higher for COVID-19 Hospitalization Than for Flu in 2023/2024 Season
WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2024 -- In fall/winter 2023/2024, the risk for death in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 was greater than the risk for death in patients hospitalized for...
Global Life Expectancy, Disease Burden Set to Keep Improving
WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2024 -- Life expectancy and age-standardized disease burden are expected to continue improving between 2022 and 2050, according to the Global Burden of Disease...
Long COVID Definitions, Care Models Are Evolving
MONDAY, May 20, 2024 -- Definitions of long COVID and care models are evolving, but considerable variability is seen in these models, according to a review published online May 21...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.