PFE Pfizer Inc

By Adriano Marchese

Pfizer Canada said Monday that Canada's health regulator has approved the use of its Covid-19 oral treatment for adults over the age of 18.

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology company said that Health Canada has authorized the use of PAXLOVID, also known as the nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19.

The drug is designed to block the activity of one of the virus's key enzymes, which it uses to replicate itself.

Health Canada approved the drug based on data from Pfizer's phase 2/3 EPIC-HR trial for adults with Covid-19 at a higher risk of seeing their illness progress.

The company noted that additional phase 2/3 trials are still in process for adults at standard risk.

In December, Pfizer said it had reached an agreement with the Canadian government to supply 1 million treatment courses of the treatment in 2022.

"Pfizer is ready to begin delivery in Canada immediately to help get PAXLOVID into the hands of appropriate patients as quickly as possible," Pfizer Canada Hospital Business Unit Lead Kevin Mohamed said.

Write to Adriano Marchese at adriano.marchese@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 17, 2022 11:23 ET (16:23 GMT)

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