October 1, 2021. UNC Health News.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill research set the stage to seek emergency authorization of the first oral antiviral drug to treat COVID-19, a pill developed by the pharmaceutical companies Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. William Fischer, MD, at the UNC School of Medicine led pivotal clinical trials on the drug molnupiravir.

Dr. Fischer is a 2001 NC Schweitzer Fellow for Life, a 2003 Lambarene Fellow for Life, and a NC Schweitzer Fellowship Board Member.