The United States is investing $ 3.2 billion in developing antiviral pills for COVID-19 and other viruses that could trigger new pandemics.
Senior American infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made the announcement Thursday at a press conference at the White House as part of a new initiative called the Antiviral Program for Pandemics.
The program will support research to develop new drugs to treat the symptoms caused by coronavirus and other potentially dangerous viruses.
COVID-19 tablets are already in development and may start to be available by the end of 2021 if clinical trials are successful.
Funding will accelerate evidence and strengthen support for private sector research, development and production.
The United States previously approved the antiviral drug remdesivir as a cure for COVID-19. The US has also authorized for emergency use three combinations of antibodies that help fight the virus. But medicines can only be taken by hospitalized patients or in a medical clinic, a logistical problem that has resulted in poor demand.
Pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Roche have begun testing antiviral drugs in pill form.
