New Covid antiviral pill, being manufactured in Cork, could be available in new year 

A new Covid-19 antiviral pill which is being manufactured at Pfizer’s Ringaskiddy plant, could be available early in the new year.

Earlier this week, Pfizer announced that findings from a trial of its Paxlovid drug show it can prevent serious illness from Covid-19 and is effective against the Omicron variant.

The pharmaceutical company said that its analysis of the drug had shown that if given to a patient within three days of the onset of Covid-19 symptoms, the drug reduces the risk of hospitalisation and death by 89%.

It said the risk of hospitalisation and death is reduced by almost the same amount, 88%, if given within five days of the onset of symptoms.

Last month, The Echo reported that Pfizer had commenced producing the antiviral pills in its manufacturing facilities in Ringaskiddy in advance of receiving regulatory authorisation for the drug.

Ringaskiddy is one of the primary sites where the drug substance will be manufactured.

At the time, a spokesperson for the company said that Pfizer had commenced manufacturing of the drug prior to authorisation at its own risk and expense to help bring this potential treatment to patients as soon as possible.

It has been reported by the Irish Independent that representatives of Pfizer have privately told senior members of the Government that, subject to regulatory approval, the company could be in a position to supply the antiviral pills to Ireland early in the new year.

A spokesperson said Pfizer expects to produce over 180,000 courses of treatment by the end of 2021, with up to 80m courses of treatment by the end of 2022.