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India Approves Antiviral Drug for Treating COVID-19 Patients

May 5, 2021 • 6:53 am CDT
(Precision Vaccinations News)

India-based Bajaj Healthcare Limited announced on May 4, 2021, it received approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization to manufacture and market 'Favijaj' in India to treat mild COVID-19 cases.

Bajaj stated it 'successfully developed the active pharmaceutical ingredient and the formulation for favipiravir through its own in-house R&D team, reported PTI. 'We hope the availability of an effective treatment such as Favijaj will considerably ease the pressure and offer patients much-needed and timely therapy options,' Bajaj Healthcare Joint MD Anil Jain said.

Favijaj (Favipiravir; Avigan) is an antiviral drug used for treating patients suffering from the influenza virus.

Avigan was approved in Japan in March 2014 with the treatment of new or re-emerging influenza viruses as the indication.

On April 21, 2021, FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd. announced a new phase III clinical trial in Japan concerning its anti-influenza drug Avigan Tablet (favipiravir), targeting patients infected with COVID-19. The trial is a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial*1 to investigate the drug’s efficacy and safety in patients with early-onset COVID-19 with risk factors for progression to severe symptoms.

Since it has the mechanism of action for selectively inhibiting RNA polymerase involved in influenza viral replication, Avigan is also expected to be effective against the novel SARS-CoV-2 beta coronavirus, an RNA virus of similar types of influenza viruses.

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