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Pfizer on Tuesday said a study showed its COVID-19 pill Paxlovid didn't significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization or death in people with a standard risk of developing severe infections.
Why it matters: The results could mean the antiviral could be largely limited to high-risk patient populations, where it's been shown to be effective.
Driving the news: Pfizer said it was halting enrollment in the study of standard-risk patients after Paxlovid showed a 51% risk reduction, which the company called "non-significant."
- The results will be rolled into an application for full FDA approval of the drug in high-risk patients.
- Pfizer said the findings won't affect its full-year 2022 revenue forecast.
Where it stands: The FDA in December authorized Paxlovid for the treatment of individuals at high risk of severe illness from COVID.
- The Biden administration this spring committed to buying 20 million courses of the drug from Pfizer and laid out a roadmap for distributing them to states, community health centers and other providers.
- A recent study from Israel found Paxlovid lowered hospitalizations for older patients but wasn't as effective for younger groups.