Announcement from China’s health authority confirms the effectiveness of the Japanese anti-influenza drug, Avigan, in treating coronavirus patients.
After completion of two clinical trials involving 320 patients in Wuhan and Shenzhen, Zhang Xinmin, China’s director of the National Center for Biotechnology Development, confirmed the efficacy of the Avigan (Favipiravir) drug.
Zhang stated in a Beijing conference that the drug showed effectiveness in treating coronavirus-related symptoms such as pneumonia and exhibited no apparent side effects.
He mentioned, “It has a high level of safety and is evidently effective in treatment.”
Patients who received the medicine in Shenzhen tested negative for the virus after four days of therapy, compared to a median of 11 days for untreated individuals, reported public broadcaster NHK.
X-rays also revealed improvements in lung condition in about 91% of the patients treated with favipiravir, in contrast to 62% of those without the drug.
Zhang formally recommended the use of this medication for treating the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
He further mentioned the approval of a Chinese pharmaceutical company by the National Medical Products Administration to mass-produce the medication and ensure a stable supply.
With nearly 200,000 infected and 7,900 fatalities from the coronavirus since its outbreak in Wuhan, China, the endorsement of the Avigan drug marks a significant development in combating the disease.