Anti-viral drug Favilavir and Chloroquine have secured approval from the National Medical Products Administration of China to treat coronavirus Covid-19, according to media reports.
China Daily reported that the Taizhou government in Zhejiang province announced the approval, which marks the authorisation of the first drug against the new coronavirus.
Formerly Fapilavir, the drug was developed by Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical.
Fapilavir allegedly demonstrated efficacy with minor side effects in an ongoing 70-patient clinical trial in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. The drug’s generic version received the approval.
Production of the anti-viral drug was begun on Sunday, added the news agency.
Chloroquine, an existing medicine, is under assessment in more than 100 patients at over ten hospitals in Beijing and Guangdong province. Plans for an additional study in Hunan province are underway.
Meanwhile, Gilead is said to be in studies at more than ten medical institutions in Wuhan, the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Antimalarial drug Chloroquine Phosphate has a certain curative effect on the #COVID19, Chinese experts confirmed based on the results of the clinical trials, according to an official on Monday. pic.twitter.com/bOt1B4v2PH
— China Science (@ChinaScience) February 17, 2020
