Drug to Treat Smallpox Approved by F.D.A., a Move Against Bioterrorism

The antiviral pill, tecovirimat, also known as Tpoxx, has never been tested in humans with smallpox because the disease was declared eradicated in 1980, three years after the last known case. But it was very effective at protecting animals deliberately infected with monkeypox and rabbitpox, two related diseases that can be lethal. It also caused no severe side effects when safety-tested in 359 healthy human volunteers, the F.D.A. said.

Information for Healthcare Providers on Obtaining and Using TPOXX (Tecovirimat) for Treatment of Monkeypox

Tecovirimat (also known as TPOXX or ST-246) is FDA-approved for the treatment of human smallpox disease caused by Variola virus in adults and children. However, its use for other orthopoxvirus infections, including monkeypox, is not approved by the FDA.

An overview of tecovirimat for smallpox treatment and expanded anti-orthopoxvirus applications

Tecovirimat showed protective efficacy against lethal challenge with every orthopoxvirus tested, in multiple animal models.

Can a smallpox drug treat monkeypox? Here’s what scientists know

Tecovirimat, a little-known antiviral, shows promise against monkeypox. But human data and supplies of the drug are limited.

Does a Smallpox Drug Work for Monkeypox? What Scientists Know

The antiviral Tecovirimat (TPOXX) shows promise against monkeypox, but human data and supplies are limited.

Getting monkeypox treatment is easier, but still daunting and confusing

The government's strategic national stockpile holds 1.7 million TPOXX courses. So far, 10,000 courses have been sent to states and cities on request – but "the number of [courses] deployed does not necessarily equate the number of [courses] administered," a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services wrote in an email to NPR.

Slow response to monkeypox exposes ‘tired, overworked’ US health agencies

Virus has taken hold amid ragged system ravaged by years of underfunding, messy bureaucracy and Covid.

The most advanced treatments for monkeypox were developed to address the wrong threat

The markets may be in free fall, but a few biotechnology companies had an exceptionally good day. Siga’s stock is up more than 40%; Emergent Biosolutions’s gained nearly 12%, and Tonix Pharmaceuticals, 15%. Outside the US, Danish company Bavarian Nordic jumped 19%. The reason? They make treatments for monkeypox.

There Is an Effective Treatment for Monkeypox, but It’s Hard to Get

A smallpox antiviral that’s effective against monkeypox is tied up in red tape, and gay-health advocates are pushing to make it easier to access

TPOXX Smallpox Monkeypox Treatment

Clinicians and healthcare facility pharmacists can request TPOXX preferably by contacting their state or territorial health department; however, they can also reach out directly to CDC by contacting its Emergency Operations Center (EOC, 770-488-7100; [email protected]).