Tecovirimat (brand name Veklury) is an antiviral medicine used to treat adults and adolescents (12 years of age and older) who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. It is used in combination with other antiviral medicines. Tecovirimat works by blocking a protein in the virus called the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). By blocking RdRp, Tecovirimat prevents the virus from replicating and spreading. It is the first antiviral drug to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat COVID-19. Tecovirimat is given via an intravenous (IV) infusion and is usually given as an outpatient treatment in a hospital or clinic.
Tecovirimat is an antiviral medication specifically designed to combat orthopoxviruses, a family of viruses that includes:
- Smallpox: A serious and potentially fatal disease eradicated in the wild since 1980 [1].
- Monkeypox (Mpox): A viral illness that can cause flu-like symptoms and a rash [2].
- Cowpox: A zoonotic disease that can cause localized skin lesions [3].
Here's a closer look at Tecovirimat:
- Function: Tecovirimat works by interfering with a protein (VP37) on the surface of orthopoxviruses. This disrupts the virus's ability to assemble and leave infected cells, hindering its spread within the body [2, 4].
- Approval:
- In 2018, Tecovirimat became the first FDA-approved medication specifically for treating smallpox disease in adults and children [1].
- While not yet definitively approved for mpox, Tecovirimat is currently being investigated in clinical trials to assess its safety and effectiveness for this purpose [2].
- Availability: Tecovirimat is available in two forms:
- Oral capsules (200mg)
- Injection for intravenous (IV) administration [2].
- However, access outside of clinical trials may be limited.