December 22, 2022

PANORAMIC study of molnupiravir for Covid – results

After being authorised for use in the UK, the antiviral molnupiravir is being evaluated as part of the Platform Adaptive trial of NOvel antiviRals for eArly treatMent of COVID-19 In the Community (PANORAMIC) trial run by scientists at the University of Oxford.

The UK study is a randomised controlled trial with over 25,000 participants who had COVID-19 infection, had been vaccinated and were at higher risk of death.  The participants were treated between December 2021 and April 2022, during the peak of the omicron wave in the UK.  Approximately half of participants received 800mg molnupiravir twice daily for five days, which was taken at home, in addition to standard care; the control half received standard care only.

The trial looked at whether molnupiravir had an effect on death and hospitalisations with Covid (primary outcome) and recovery time (secondary outcome).

The results have been published in the Lancet.

Journalists dialled in to this briefing to hear from the scientists running the trial about what the results show, and to ask them questions.

Speakers included:

Prof Chris Butler, Professor of Primary Care in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford; and co-Chief Investigator of PANORAMIC

Prof Paul Little, Professor of Primary Care Research, University of Southampton; and co-Chief Investigator of PANORAMIC

Prof Richard Hobbs, Head of Oxford Primary Care, University of Oxford; and PANORAMIC co-trial lead

Dr Ly-Mee Yu, Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Primary Care Clinical Trials Unit, University of Oxford; and Lead Trial Statistician for PANORAMIC

Prof Judith Breuer, Professor of Virology, UCL; and Laboratory Studies Lead for PANORAMIC

This Briefing was accompanied by an SMC Roundup of Comments.