COVID Fight: Drug Watchdog Okays Favipiravir For Clinical Trials In India

New Delhi: The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the use of oral antiviral drug Favipiravir for clinical trials in the treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19.

The Mumbai-based Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which markets the drug in India, informed this on Friday.

“This approval has been granted based on evaluation of data and in consultation with the Subject Expert Committee, as part of the accelerated approval process, considering the emergency situation and unmet medical need of the Covid-19 outbreak,” Hindustan Times reported quoting a statement from Glenmark.

This approval comes as a glint of hope as the nation struggles to flatten the consistent upward curve of COVID-19 cases. The focus is on repurposed drugs and with 10 in the basket so far, the results are likely to be clear in the next two or three months.

Besides Favipiravir, DGCI has already approved ACQH, Umifenovir (Arbidol) and Mycobacterium W (anti-leprosy drug) for clinical trials in treating coronavirus patients.

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