Merck Discussing Use of COVID Antiviral Drug in Ebola Response
What’s happening
A senior executive at Merck & Co. said the company is discussing whether its COVID antiviral drug could be used as part of the response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
Researchers and health officials are exploring available treatments because there is currently no approved treatment specifically for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola involved in the outbreak.
What’s changing / Business impact
Drug companies and health agencies are increasingly looking at whether existing medicines can be repurposed during outbreaks instead of waiting years to develop entirely new treatments.
This approach can dramatically shorten response times during public health emergencies.
Why this matters
Developing a brand-new drug can take many years. During an outbreak, doctors often look at medicines that already exist to see whether they might help fight the disease.
The same strategy was used extensively during COVID, when scientists tested existing antivirals and other treatments while new therapies were still being developed.