Thread by @PhilippineStar

If cleared by the Food and Drug Administration — a decision that could come in a matter of weeks — it would be the first pill shown to treat COVID-19. All other FDA-backed treatments against the disease require an IV or injection. | via @AP

@AP Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutic said they specifically asked the agency to grant emergency use for adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for severe disease or hospitalization. That is roughly the way COVID-19 infusion drugs are used. | via @AP

@AP The company reported earlier this month that the pill cut hospitalizations and deaths by half among patients with early symptoms of COVID-19. The results were so strong that independent medical experts monitoring the trial recommended stopping it early. | via @AP

@AP Side effects were similar between patients who got the drug and those in a testing group who received a dummy pill. But Merck has not publicly detailed the types of problems reported, which will be a key part of the FDA’s review. | via @AP

@AP Several other companies, including Pfizer and Roche, are studying similar drugs and are expected to report results in the coming weeks and months. | via @AP

@AP AstraZeneca is also seeking FDA authorization for a long-acting antibody drug intended to provide months of protection for patients who have immune-system disorders and do not adequately respond to vaccination. | via @AP

@AP Eventually some experts predict various COVID-19 therapies will be prescribed in combination to better protect against the worst effects of the virus. | via @AP