Favipiravir has shown potential in treating the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Drug Regulatory Body in China announced that they have approved clinical trials of the antiviral favilavir for use in the treatment of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, reported by UPI.
Favipiravir is already approved for marketing in the treatment of influenza in China and there are other two drugs which are showing efficacy against novel coronavirus in human trials.
The drug manufacturer Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Company has met requirements to produce the generic form of Favipiravir but needs to continue unfinished clinical research.
Another drug option, remdesivir, is being developed by U.S. drugmaker Gilead. Originally intended to treat Ebola virus, remdesivir has reportedly been used to treat one American sickened with COVID-19, and the patient in question has recovered fully.
However, the drug is still undergoing clinical trials and has not yet been approved to treat either COVID-19 or Ebola.
Meanwhile, doctors in South Korea have reported that they have used the HIV combination drug lopinavir plus ritonavir -- marketed as Kaletra -- to successfully treat COVID-19 in a 54-year-old patient.
