Indonesia Allows Emergency Use of Paxlovid; Reportedly 90% Effective as Covid-19 Drug

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Food and Drug Administration Agency (BPOM) has officially authorized the emergency use of the drug Paxlovid, a film-coated tablet for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in Indonesia. The agency issued the permit to use Paxlovid on Sunday, 17 July.

"Paxlovid comes in a combi pack form, comprising 150 mg of Nirmatrelvir and 100 mg of Ritonavir, with indications for treating COVID-19 in adults who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19," BPOM chief Penny K. Lukito said in a written statement, Monday, July 18.

Paxlovid is produced by Pfizer as a drug claimed to have up to 90 percent effectiveness in preventing severe COVID-19 symptoms.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) stated that Paxlovid contains the PF-07321332, an active antiviral substance that works by blocking the activity of an enzyme needed by the SARS-CoV-2-3CL virus to multiply.

In its use, Paxlovid can be combined with Ritonavir in low doses so that the antiviral remains active in the long run and able to fight the coronavirus inside the human body. 

As Pfizer wrote on its webpage, the antiviral drug has the potential to save many lives and reduce the severity of Covid-19 infection. Based on research conducted by Pfizer, it stated that nine out of ten cases of hospitalization can be treated immediately with Paxlovid.

Eiben Heizar

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