This Pill Can Prevent You From Getting Covid-19 After Exposure to the Disease-Causing Virus, According to a Clinical Trial

Sara Hashemi· May 22, 2026 · 5:53 PM UTC ·4 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 49 views

#covid-19 #health #clinical-trial #pharmaceuticals #prevention

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

A new oral drug called ensitrelvir has shown promise in preventing Covid-19 after exposure, according to a recent clinical trial. The study involved nearly 2,400 participants and demonstrated that the drug significantly reduced the risk of developing symptoms. The U.S. FDA is expected to make an approval decision for ensitrelvir in June 2026.

Key facts

▪The drug ensitrelvir, branded as Xocova, was recently approved in Japan for post-exposure Covid-19 protection.
▪In a trial, less than 3 percent of those taking ensitrelvir developed symptoms compared to around 9 percent in the placebo group.
▪The study included participants from multiple countries and was conducted between June 2023 and September 2024.

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Smithsonian Magazine files mainly under science. We currently carry 112 of its stories.

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Smithsonian Magazine · Sara Hashemi

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Original publisher	Smithsonian Magazine
Canonical URL	https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/
Publication time	Fri, 22 May 2026 17:53:43 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-05-22T18:07:02.718Z
Last seen	2026-05-22T18:07:02.718Z
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand

This Pill Can Prevent You From Getting Covid-19 After Exposure to the Disease-Causing Virus, According to a Clinical Trial The drug showed promising results in an international study involving nearly 2,400 participants, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make an approval decision for it in June Sara Hashemi | Daily Correspondent May 22, 2026 1:53 p.m. ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source The drug ensitrelvir, under the brand name Xocova, was recently approved in Japan as a post-exposure protection against Covid-19. Carol Yepes via Getty Images After more than six years of humans living with Covid-19, we might finally have a pill that can prevent the disease after exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Smithsonian Magazine.

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