But Merck and Ridgeback aren’t the only ones involved in an active search for the next revolutionary anti-coronavirus pill. Pfizer and Roche are also working on antiviral pills that could become available soon. And for well-known reasons, these companies are racing to become the first company to release an antiviral pill and to initiate mass distribution. The U.S. already asked for 1.7 million doses, at a cost of over $1 billion.
Although there are already some treatments used to help those who are already sick with the virus, they are only administrated via intravenous infusion and are kept for those patients who are hospitalized.
