Bangalore: Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd said Thursday it will start clinical trials in India of antiviral drug ‘favipiravir’. It is being seen as a potential treatment for COVID-19 patients. The trials come after a Chinese official told reporters last month about the drug’s success. The official informed that an active ingredient of the drug had been effective in helping coronavirus patients recover. It also did not show any side effects.
‘Favipiravir’ is manufactured under the brand name ‘Avigan’ by a unit of Japan’s Fujifilm Holdings Corp. It has been approved for use as an anti-flu drug in the country in 2014.
Mumbai-based Glemark said the approval made it the first pharmaceutical company in India to be permitted to start trials on COVID-19 patients in India. Incidentally India recorded its 1,000th coronavirus death, Wednesday.
“Glenmark has successfully developed the API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) and the formulations. Glenmark is all geared to immediately begin clinical trials on favipiravir on COVID-19 patients in India,” said Sushrut Kulkarni. He is the executive vice-president for global R&D, of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals.
Drugmakers across the world have been rushing to develop a treatment or vaccine for the fast-spreading coronavirus. The virus has killed over 2,20,000 people and ravaged financial markets.
Glenmark will initially enroll 150 patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in a randomized trial. It will compare ‘favipiravir’ with standard supportive care. The trial will last for a maximum of 28 days, it said.
The Drug Controller General of India, which approved the trials, declined to provide more detailed information.
Another Indian pharmaceutical company, Strides Pharma Science Ltd, said Wednesday it had developed and commercialised ‘favipiravir’ antiviral tablets. It also said that it had applied to the authorities to start trials. However, it is still not clear as it is yet to get the permission while Glenmark got the go-ahead.
Agencies
