Results from a clinical trial show that Merck’s antiviral pill for COVID-19 is effective, the company said Friday. The antiviral, molnupiravir, cut the risk of hospitalization or death in half for adults who were deemed at risk but not hospitalized, according to a planned interim analysis of the trial. Compared to the 14.1 percent of patients who received placebos, 7.3 percent of trial participants who received the drug were hospitalized through day 29, the company and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said. Eight people died in the placebo group and zero did in the group given molnupiravir. Based on the findings, Merck plans to apply to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) soon for emergency use authorization for its drug. “With these compelling results, we are optimistic that molnupiravir can become an important medicine as part of the global effort to fight the pandemic,” Robert Davis, Merck’s CEO and president, said …