In a news release, Pfizer, Inc. announced that their experiments with Paxloid, their new COVID-19 pill, have produced positive results, aiding the fight against Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant. However, Pfizer has not yet published the results in a peer-reviewed medical journal. 

The company stated that the drug’s main component, Nirmatrelvir, worked in three separate lab studies. Patients partook in a course of treatment which included two tablets of Nirmatrelvir and another antiviral, Ritonavir, twice a day for two days. 

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of Paxloid for patients at high risk of suffering from a severe case of COVID-19. This type of medication allows newly infected patients to treat themselves at home rather than having to spend time in the hospital. 

Although the FDA authorized the pill, Paxloid supplies are limited due to the lengthy manufacturing process; turning raw materials into full doses can take up to nine months. Pfizer plans to create 140 million full courses of treatment by the end of this year.