An international team of scientists has discovered that a widely used COVID-19 drug, manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Merck, is inadvertently causing mutations in the virus, potentially exacerbating the spread of the disease.
This unsettling finding underscores the complexity of the ongoing battle against the pandemic and raises critical questions about our current treatment strategies.
The research team, comprising experts from various countries, embarked on an exhaustive study of 15 million COVID-19 sequences to understand how the virus has evolved over time.
The results of their investigation were nothing short of alarming. They found the virus had undergone mutations that deviated from the usual pattern of change.
More concerning was the fact that one-third of these mutations were linked to individuals administered the popular antiviral drug molnupiravir.
Merck’s blockbuster COVID antiviral drug molnupiravir linked to ‘transmissible’ mutations
Antiviral, also known as Lagevrio, produces permanent mutations that can be passed from patient to patient
Mutations more likely to be seen in older age groups, people more at risk of… https://t.co/PtYHvhuJVP pic.twitter.com/CeveKhGMv1
— Prodigal (@ProdigalThe3rd) September 25, 2023
Molnupiravir, a product of Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, was among the first antivirals introduced to fight COVID-19.
It has been widely used by patients across several nations, including the United States. The drug is designed to induce mutations in the COVID-19 genome during replication, with the aim of damaging or killing the virus, thereby reducing its viral load.
However, the international research team unearthed a disturbing side effect of molnupiravir. They found the drug was also causing persistent mutations in many cases, thereby increasing the genetic diversity of COVID-19.
These mutations were observed in small clusters, which could be transmitted between patients, further complicating the fight against the virus.
Dr. Christopher Ruis, a geneticist at the University of Cambridge, England, and co-author of the study, explained the implications of their findings.
He stated while molnupiravir is one of several drugs used to combat COVID-19, and belongs to a class of drugs that can cause the virus to mutate to the point of fatal weakening, their research showed in some patients, not all viruses were killed.
Some mutated viruses could spread, posing a significant risk.
Bwahahahaha….Now they are slaughtering Merck, because its "Anti-Covid" drug Molnupiravir is linked to new virus mutations.. Btw: Merck is former patent owner of Ivermectin & advised against its use-because they wanted to sell the new product. @jikkyleaks https://t.co/X6TRtBkHwG
— Aquarius-elect 🗣️ (@Aquarius3_0) September 25, 2023
The study was led by Dr. Theo Sanderson of the Francis Crick Institute in London, England. He warned that molnupiravir is creating complications and urged scientists to consider their team’s research when developing new drugs to treat COVID-19.
He emphasized the importance of developing drugs that aim to shorten the length of infection, given the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on human health and the difficulties some people face in clearing the virus.
However, he cautioned that their evidence shows that molnupiravir also results in new mutations, increasing the genetic diversity in the surviving viral population. This finding is crucial for the ongoing assessment of the risks and benefits of molnupiravir treatment.
The potential for persistent antiviral-induced mutations must be considered in the development of new drugs that work in a similar way.
