U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc. said on Thursday that early data has helped it identify a drug candidate with the potential to help treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus.
It also said it plans to support studies to determine whether existing Pfizer medicines, including its rheumatoid arthritis drug Xeljanz, may provide benefits for those struggling with the COVID-19 respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.
Pfizer first revealed plans to try to develop an antiviral compound for COVID-19 in March, and later said it was working with BioNTech SE on a potential vaccine based on messenger RNA technology.