Molnupiravir is special in that it works by making viral replication more error-prone, with so many mutations that the virus cannot reproduce at all. If a virus manages to replicate anyway, it may do so with more mutations than normal, and this could theoretically increase the chance of a new variant arising.
Paxlovid's mechanism doesn't involve inducing mutations, so it doesn't have this concern. It's a protease inhibitor, blocking the virus's ability to break down proteins. Viruses can still develop resistance to this class of drugs, but only using their natural mutation rate.
Paxlovid's mechanism doesn't involve inducing mutations, so it doesn't have this concern. It's a protease inhibitor, blocking the virus's ability to break down proteins. Viruses can still develop resistance to this class of drugs, but only using their natural mutation rate.