The Health Ministry announced on Sunday it had authorized the use of the molnupiravir pill for COVID-19 patients over 18 years of age and signed a supply contract with Merck & Co for its supply, with the first shipment due soon.
Molnupiravir was authorized by the United States last month for certain high-risk adult patients and has been shown to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by around 30% in a clinical trial. In November, Britain became the first country in the world to approve molnupiravir.
"The drug is intended to be given to Covid patients with mild to moderate symptoms who have at least one risk factor for deterioration in hospitalization or mortality, when other existing and approved treatment alternatives in Israel are not suitable for them," the Health Ministry said in a statement.
The pills are intended for home treatment and should be given 3-5 days from the onset of symptoms and taken for five days, the statement says.
Last week, the first shipment of Pfizer’s antiviral COVID-19 pill arrived at Ben Gurion Airport, following Israel's purchase of some 100,000 doses.
The pharma giant and the Health Ministry signed off on the purchase of the drug - marketed under the brand name Paxlovid - following talks between Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
"Thanks to our rapid reaction, the drugs arrived in Israel quickly to help us best the encroaching Omicron wave,” said Bennett shortly after the drug’s arrival.
"Pfizer's drug, which now arrived in Israel, among the first countries in the world, is an important addition to our toolbox fighting the pandemic.”
“Just as we were pioneers in administering the third and fourth jabs, so will we be the first to give the drug to the people of Israel,” added the prime minister.