The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given its approval to a pill developed by Pfizer to treat Covid-19, the EU authority announced on Thursday.
The US pharmaceuticals giant's drug Paxlovid can prevent severe disease in patients following a coronavirus infection, the EMA said.
This is the first drug against Covid that can be taken orally.
Pfizer says it reduces the risk of hospitalization and death in Covid-19 patients by 89 per cent.
The European Commission still has to approve the authorization, but that is considered a formality.
Three tablets twice a day
According to the manufacturer, patients take three tablets twice a day for five days. The active ingredient, nirmatrelvir, is supposed to inhibit a Sars CoV-2 protein and thus stop the virus from multiplying.
Possible side effects include impaired sense of taste, diarrhoea, high blood pressure and muscle pain.
