Pfizer Conducting Phase 3 Clinical Trial for Oral COVID Drug 新冠口服藥輝瑞三期試驗 台大等醫院參與

While vaccinations are currently underway in most parts of the world and the COVID-19 doesn't seem to be ending any time soon, oral COVID-19 drugs developed by Pfizer is expected to enter its Phase 3 clinical trial, with many hospitals in Taiwan taking part.

Merck and Pfizer are both developing oral COVID-19 drugs. Pfizer is currently conducting a Phase 3 clinical trial for its "PF-07321332," with a number of domestic hospitals reportedly taking part.

Chen Shih-chung, Health and Welfare Minister："No, I have not started (clinical trials). We are still trying to find out more and we want them to give us a report."

According to reports, PF-07321332 is used in conjunction with HIV/AIDS medication Ritonavir. The clinical trial will involve 2,660 subjects around the world, including 245 in Taiwan. However, Taiwan is reporting few new cases of COVID-19 and the hospitals taking part have not gotten any test subjects.

Voice of Huang Li-ming, Honorary Chair, Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan："Ritonavir suppresses metabolism, so after you take it, it accumulates in the body. As the metabolism slows down, the dosage all over the body goes up. It reduces the risk of severe symptoms. Like Tamiflu, it's a form of early treatment. After taking it, you can rest at home instead of going to the hospital."

Doctors say PF-07321332 will be used as a preventative medicine to lower the risk of severe symptoms in people that had close contact with an infected person.

繼新冠疫苗後，現在不少藥廠也紛紛投入新冠口服藥的研發，在默沙東之後，日前輝瑞也要針對旗下的口服抗病毒藥「PF-07321332」展開三期臨床試驗，更傳出國內的台大醫院、中國附醫、高雄長庚...等多家醫學中心都會參與該計畫。

衛福部長 陳時中表示：「沒有，我現在還沒有展開(臨床試驗)。我們還在了解，請他們來報告。」

據了解，PF-07321332將與愛滋病用藥"利托那韋"合併使用，而人體試驗規劃，預計在全球收案2660名成人受試者，其中台灣將收案245人，但因國內疫情趨緩，暫時缺乏新確診者，截至目前這幾家醫院都還沒收到臨床個案。

台灣感染症醫學會名譽理事長 黃立民表示：「這個利托那韋是抑制他的代謝，所以會使得他吃下去以後，他的(藥)量會累積的比較高。因為他的代謝就會變慢，提高體內濃度，不管是在血液或是身體的各個部位，那個藥量就會變高。它主要是讓你不要變重症，早一點幫你治療，就像克流感一樣，他希望你吃了以後，你就可以在家休息，不用去住院，不用去住加護病房。」

醫師表示，PF-07321332將用於「密切接觸者預防性用藥」，希望能藉此減少社區感染，避免重症發生的機會。