Favipiravir leads to 'significant improvement' in mild-to-moderate Covid-19 cases: Study

The oral antiviral medication Favipiravir, that prevents the replication phase of the virus life-cycle, leads to significant improvement in patients with mild-to-moderate Covid-19.

These findings were observed in a randomised, controlled Phase 3 clinical study conducted by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, and the results are now published online in The International Journal of Infectious Diseases (IJID).

The IJID is a globally reputed, peer-reviewed, PubMed-indexed, open access journal published monthly by the International Society for Infectious Diseases, USA.

The published findings will also appear in the print edition of the journal in the coming weeks.

The publication on the study titled “Efficacy and Safety of Favipiravir, an Oral RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Inhibitor, in Mild-to-Moderate Covid-19: A Randomised, Comparative, Open-Label, Multicenter, Phase 3 Clinical Trial” was authored by Dr Zarir F Udwadia and other co-authors.

The Phase 3 study with antiviral drug Favipiravir, brand name FabiFlu, was conducted in 150 patients as part of a randomised, open label, multicenter, Phase 3 study. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Favipiravir plus standard supportive care (Favipiravir treatment arm), versus standard supportive care alone (control arm), in mild-to-moderate patients, randomised within a 48 hour window of testing RT-PCR positive for Covid-19.

Favipiravir was found to provide multiple treatment benefits, demonstrated by faster time to clinical cure, and significantly delayed the need for supportive oxygen therapy.

Additionally, patients of confirmed Covid-19 with moderate symptoms were discharged from hospital earlier than those patients that did not receive Favipiravir, with the median time to clinical cure reduced by 2.5 days compared with the control group.

In a press release, Dr Udwadia of the Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai commented “Every claim for the efficacy of a new drug in Covid-19 must be backed by evidence from a clinical trial. Glenmark has done just that with Favipiravir. Their well-designed trial in 150 patients showed Favipiravir resulted in a significantly improved time to clinical cure and rapid viral clearance. Based on this I would consider the use of this anti-viral drug in symptomatic patients with mild-to-moderate Covid-19. I eagerly await the results of similar trials presently being conducted in Boston and at Stanford”.