Covid-19 drug Favipiravir safe, effective: Glenmark

Favipiravir was used to treat patients with moderate to mild Covid-19

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, a research-led, global integrated pharmaceutical company, has announced the successful completion of its Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) study on the use of Favipiravir (FabiFlu) on Covid-19 patients in India.

The PMS study commenced in July 2020 to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Favipiravir in mild to moderate Covid-19 patients. A total of 1,083 patients were enrolled in the prospective, open-label, multicentre, single-arm study.

Results showed no new safety signals or concerns with the use of Favipiravir, and already-known side effects such as weakness, gastritis, diarrhoea, and vomiting were found to be mild in nature. The time for fever resolution was 4 days, while the time for the clinical cure was 7 days.

Glenmark’s PMS study is the first and largest post-marketing study conducted in India on Favipiravir in mild to moderate Covid-19 patients.

Thirteen sites – both government and private institutions – across Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Nashik, Nagpur, and Trivandrum took part. The study was conducted in patients in line with the approved indication of the drug, according to a press statement issued here.

Commenting on these findings, Alok Malik, Group Vice President & Head, India Formulations, said: “This study was crucial as it examined the safety and efficacy of FabiFlu in real-world settings, where multiple variables can impact the results. Despite these factors, the PMS study demonstrated FabiFlu’s consistent ability to provide symptomatic relief and improve clinical outcomes in patients with mild to moderate Covid-19.”

On June 19, 2020, Glenmark became the first company in India to receive restricted emergency use approval from India’s drug regulator for Favipiravir (FabiFlu), making it the first oral Favipiravir-approved medication in India for the treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19. The approval was granted as part of an accelerated approval process, considering the emergency situation of the Covid-19 outbreak in India.

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