Ammon News - Jordanian doctor Safwat Haddadin said Saturday he predicts the new coronavirus drug Molnupiravir will be available in the US market later this year after undergoing clinical trials.

Haddadin, who supervised the clinical development of the drug, told Petra that the success of Molnupiravir is a milestone achievement for the team of scientists that worked for a year and a half to reach "this historical moment and make a major transformation in the battle against the coronavirus."

Pharmaceutical giant Merck has said its drug reduces the risk of hospitalization or death by around 50% for patients with mild or moderate cases of Covid.

If authorized by regulatory bodies, molnupiravir could be the first oral antiviral medicine for Covid.