The city government of Taizhou in Zhejiang, China has announced that antiviral drug Favilavir for COVID-19, has been approved for marketing.
Favilavir, formerly known as Fapilavir, is the first anti-novel coronavirus drug that has been approved for marketing by the National Medical Products Administration since the outbreak.
Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Company Limited is currently manufacturing large amounts favipiravir after receiving the approval.
Favilavir will be administered for both treatment and prevention of COVID-19.
According to multiple reports, Fapilavir is one of three medicines that showed good effects with very slight side effects in clinical trials, China Daily reported, citing official sources.
The other drugs tested are chloroquine phosphate – a drug used to fight malaria, and remdesivir – created to fight Ebola. Both inhibited the development of the virus at the cellular level.
Credit: Independent
