Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said he’s pretty confident the company’s new COVID-19 treatment pill will be effective against the omicron coronavirus variant.
- “I’m very very confident that this drug works for all known mutations, including the omicron one,” Bourla said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “But we are working on other drugs for the eventual case that maybe a resistance is developed.”
Per Business Insider, Bourla said the pill is intended to work against all mutations of the virus. The pill doesn’t attack the virus individually, but instead, it blocks an enzyme, which has a role in the virus’ copying process.
The comments come as the world has been worried about the new omicron coronavirus variant. Researchers in South Africa first announced the discovery of the omicron variant over the weekend, prompting worldwide alarm about the future of the pandemic.
- The new variant reportedly has dozens of mutations that might allow it to evade COVID-19 vaccines and spread quicker than previous variants.
- Of course, scientists are still waiting on more research to make definitive statements about the variant, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
Earlier in November, Pfizer revealed its new pill that can reportedly cut the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 by 89%, per the Deseret News.
- Bourla said in a statement at the time that the pill — if authorized by the Food and Drug Administration — could “eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations.”