Avigan (Favipiravir)

Main article: COVID-19 coronavirus medicine

2020

Ghost effects

On October 9, 2020 ghost effects of medicine for treatment of a coronavirus favipiravir and means on its basis became known. It is said in the document with the detailed analysis of ghost effects published by Information center concerning pharmacotherapy at patients with a new koronavirusny infection of COVID-19 "PHARMACOVID" based on FSBEI DPO RMANPO of the Russian Ministry of Health.

In fact, favipiravir is a poison therefore its did not begin to apply in large quantities against a flu virus. It is medicine for application in extreme situations. For example, for patients with high virus load, i.e. with the large volume of defeat of fabrics. In this case the positive effect can be higher, than possible toxicity of medicine — the head of laboratory of genomic engineering of MIPT Pavel Volchkov explained to Izvestia.

Ghost effects of the medicine Avigan (Favipiravir) for treatment of a coronavirus became known

According to the doctor, the pharmacologist, the associate professor of faculty of health care of the Norwegian university Oslomet Yury Kiselyov, warning of new ghost effects appeared in the instruction to the Japanese medicine "Avigan" which active ingredient is favipiravir. He added that drug intake can lead to violation of motive functions and increase in risk of falling.

In the conclusion of the Japanese agency on medicines it is said that favipiravir can lead to such motor violations as sleepwalking and a syndrome of sudden fast run.

Besides, specialists established that medicines on the basis of a favipiravir are contraindicated to pregnant women, minor and having a renal failure.

In the Russian Ministry of Health then specified that information on possible undesirable collateral reactions on favipiravir to which media refer was received from the publication intended only for comprehensive informing professional community. Producers of the Japanese medicine connect the specified ghost effects with flu, but not with effects of use of medicine, said in the message of department.^[1]

Completion of clinical trials

The Japanese corporation Fujifilm Holdings completed clinical trials of own original medicine Avigan (favipiravir) intended for therapy of a koronavirusny infection of an easy and medium-weight current. On September 23, 2020 the R-Pharm company reported about it.

During the conducted research with participation of 156 people it is established that clinical improvement of the patients accepting favipiravir occurs on average in 11.9 days, in group of comparison, the accepting placebos – in 14.7 days This difference is considered statistically significant (p = 0.0136) while the relation of risks made 1.593 (95% of DI 1.024-2.479). The research represented randomized placebo - a controlled blind comparative research that allows to refer its results to the data having high degree of substantiality. Thus, it became obvious that the efficiency of a favipiravir is proved. Medicine registration favipiravir for therapy of COVID-19 in Japan is expected in October, 2020.

Creation of an analog in Russia

On March 26, 2020 the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)  announced creation of the enterprise, joint with Himrar group, which will be engaged in creation of an analog of the medicine "Favipiravir" (it is developed by Fujifilm). The last in China is called an effective remedy of treatment of a coronavirus. Read more here.

Medicine is called effective against a coronavirus

On March 18, 2020 it became known of efficiency of the medicine "Avigan" (Favipiravir) at treatment of a coronavirus of SARS-CoV-2. Medicine is produced by subsidiary company of the Japanese producer Fujifilm — Toyama Chemical.

The Chinese physicians conducted clinical trials with participation of 80 patients for whom they diagnosed a coronavirus. 35 patients receiving Avigan recovered quicker. In four days of acceptance of medicine the test for a coronavirus showed at them negative result. The patients who were not taking flu medicine needed for recovery on average 11 days. In addition, medicine has high degree of security, improves a status of lungs approximately at 91% of patients and does not cause any ghost effects.

The People's Republic of China said that drug against flu Favipiravir is effective at a coronavirus

One more multicenter randomized study of favipiravir headed by Zhongnan hospital at the Wuhan university showed too that the therapeutic effect of medicine exceeds results of patients of a check group.

As for security, Favipiravir was approved for sale in Japan in 2014, from the moment of its entry into the market was not recorded any collateral reactions — the head of the Center of biotechnologies at the Ministry of science and technology of the People's Republic of China Zhang Xinmin said, addressing journalists.

According to him, considering security, efficiency and availability of medicine, researchers recommend Avigan to physicians and also suggested to turn on as soon as possible medicine in the plan of treatment of a koronavirusny infection.

According to Reuters, stocks of Fujifilm rose in price for 15% and reached a day maximum after the statement for efficiency of Avigan. The company manufactures medicine only by request of the government in Japan. As for China, at Fujifilm the license to use of a key component of this medicine expired.^[2]

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