Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir: The New Available Antiviral Options for COVID-19

Acta Med Indones. 2022 Oct;54(4):638-644.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). With the complexity of multimorbidity in Indonesia, it is crucial to find another line of antiviral for COVID-19. This article aims to review two antivirals, molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, that have been studied extensively in treating COVID-19 with promising results, and their availability in Indonesia. Molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir are two of many repurposed drugs in clinical trials, which have been reported to have a mechanism in quick clearance of SARS-CoV-2, reduction in viral load, and fast symptoms recovery time in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. Phase 2/3 clinical study in COVID-19 patients without any indication for hospitalization showed that molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization and death.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; antiviral; molnupiravir; nirmatrelvir/ritonavir.

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Ritonavir / therapeutic use
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • molnupiravir
  • nirmatrelvir
  • Ritonavir
  • Antiviral Agents