Japan is set to start clinical trails of Avigan, an anti-flu drug, as an antidote for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The trails come on the heels of reports of promising results in China as the drug has been effective in shortening the recovery time for coronavirus patients in the country
A company spokesman said:
“The trial will be conducted on 100 patients until the end of June. We will collect data, analyze them and file for approval after that.”
He further revealed that the drug will be administered for a maximum of 14 days to COVID-19 patients between 20 and 74 years old with mild pneumonia.
The process excludes pregnant women due to side effects shown in animal testing.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had stated a few days ago that the government would begin the necessary process to formally approve Avigan as a treatment against the coronavirus.
Fujifilm in a statement said:
“It is expected that Avigan may potentially have an antiviral effect on the new coronavirus given the way it works on the flu virus.”
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have shown early promise in the race to find a cure for the ongoing pandemic in early studies in France and China.
