Role of favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19 (original) (raw)
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Favipiravir and its potentials in COVID-19 pandemic: An update
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths and hundreds of millions of confirmed infections worldwide. This pandemic has prompted researchers to produce medications or vaccines to reduce or stop the progression and spread of this disease. A variety of previously licensed and marketed medications are being tested for the treatment and recurrence of SARS-CoV2, including favipiravir (Avigan). Favipiravir was recognized as an influenza antiviral drug in Japan in 2014, and has been known to have a potential in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2, in addition to its broad therapeutic safety scope. Favipiravir was recently approved and officially used in many countries worldwide. Our review provides insights and up-to-date knowledge of the current role of favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19 infection, focusing on preclinical and ongoing clinical trials, evidence of its efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19, side effects, anti-viral mechanism, and the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug in the treatment of COVID-19. Due to its teratogenic effects, favipiravir cannot be offered to expectant or pregnant mothers. The practical efficacy of such an intervention regimen will depend on its dose, treatment duration, and cost as well as difficulties in application.
Favipiravir: A new and emerging antiviral option in COVID-19
Medical Journal Armed Forces India, 2020
With over 16 million cases reported from across the globe, the SARS-CoV-2, a mere 125 microns in diameter, has left an indelible impact on our world. With the paucity of new drugs to combat this disease, the medical community is in a race to identify repurposed drugs that may be effective against this novel coronavirus. One of the drugs which has recently garnered much attention, especially in India, is an anti-viral drug originally designed for influenza, called favipiravir. In this article, we have tried to provide a comprehensive, evidence-based review of this drug in the context of the present pandemic to elucidate its role in the management of COVID-19.
Use of favipiravir against Covid-19: A Review
Pakistan BioMedical Journal, 2022
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a global challenge for the world healthcare community. The use of favipiravir against COVID-19 was studied in various studies but its efficacy and side effects remain uncertain. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the use of favipiravir in patients suffering from coronavirus.The literature search was done by using several databases including MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, and Science Direct. To ensure the credibility and accuracy of the included articles we include only those studies that were published in indexed journals. Furthermore, in this current review, we mainly include only those studies published from January 2015 to September2021. We included all the review and research articles published in the English language.The review of currently available literature suggests the use of favipiravir showed both some utility and side effects in patients diagnosed with coronavirus-19. Moreover, the use of this antiviral drug ...
Mediterranean Journal of Infection Microbes and Antimicrobials
Since the beginning of the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, scientists have studied many drugs to treat it, but none of them have been approved as a complete cure. Favipiravir is one of those drugs that effectively clears the body from the virus by interfering with the process of replication. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of favipiravir compared with supportive medication to treat moderate COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: In this randomized, open-label, controlled clinical trial, we examined the efficacy of favipiravir to treat moderate COVID-19 patients. The study was conducted in Labbafinejad Hospital (Tehran, Iran) from April to September 2021. A 1:1 ratio of eligible patients were assigned to the intervention and control groups. The control group received supportive medication. In addition to supportive medication, the intervention group received favipiravir. The primary endpoint was the hospitalization rate during the seven-day follow-up. And the secondary endpoints were symptoms, signs, and laboratory tests of the patients. Results: Out of 78 patients who were included in the study, 40 patients were assigned to the control group and 38 patients were assigned to the intervention group. At the beginning of treatment, the respiratory rate was higher in the intervention group (p=0.001), however, on the fifth (p=0.001) and seventh (p<0.001) days, it was significantly lower in the intervention group. In addition, oxygen saturation at the beginning of treatment was lower in the intervention group (p<0.001); however, on the fifth (p=0.016) and seventh (p<0.001) days, it was significantly higher in the intervention group. Furthermore, the consumption of favipiravir was not associated with the hospitalization rate (p=0.200). Conclusion: Favipiravir enhances respiratory manifestations in patients with moderate COVID-19 when compared to supportive medication alone.
Favipiravir, will it be the Answer for the Specific Management of COVID-19?: A Review
Medico-Legal Update, 2021
Background: The COVID-19 has created havoc all over the world as no specific treatment available tilldate. Total COVID-19 cases had crossed 11,125,245 including 528,204 deaths as per the WHO data till 5July 2020. Unfortunately, India secured third place in total tally of COVID-19 cases with 6,77,719 totalcases including 19693 deaths as of 5th July 2020. The antiviral drug, Favipiravir, previously known as T-705approved in Japan for treatment of Influenza. It is selective & potent inhibitor of viral RNA polymerase. Itis promising drug for treatment of wide range of RNA viruses including SARSCoV-2.Method: The systematic review of Articles was done with the help of search engines like Embase, Medline,PubMed & Google Scholar, clinicaltrials.gov. The Peer reviewed articles published through 6th of July 2020were included in the study. This review was done to establish clinical evidence for use of Favipiravir inCOVID-19.Conclusion: It was found that due to lack of conclusive evidence, Favi...
Favipiravir Efficacy and Safety for the Treatment of Severe Coronavirus 2019. A Retrospective Study
Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad
Background: Corona virus disease is caused by the enveloped, single stranded RNA virus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) becoming the deadliest disease of the century. Its global outbreak has led researchers to develop drugs or vaccines to prevent the spread of the disease. Favipiravir is an approved orally administered antiviral drug that selectively inhibits RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, used off-label to treat COVID-19. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of this drug for severe COVID-19 infection. Methods: This was an observational retrospective study, carried out at the ICU of King Saud Medical City (KSMC) from June 2020 to August 2020. Including a total of one thousand six hundred and ninety-nine patients (n=1699). Categorized into a treatment group (193 patients) who received Favipiravir along with standard care, and non-treatment group (1506 patients) who received standard care only. Results: ICU all...
2021
ABSTRACTAimTo assess the efficacy and safety of favipiravir in adults with moderate to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsIn this randomized, double-blind, multicenter, phase 3 trial, adults (21-80 years) with real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and presenting with moderate to severe COVID-19 and requiring hospitalization were randomized 1:1 to oral favipiravir (day 1: 1800 mg BID and days 2-10: 800 mg BID) (FPV) plus standard supportive care (SoC) versus placebo plus SoC (placebo). The primary endpoint was time to resolution of hypoxia.ResultsIn total, 353 patients were randomized to receive either FPV or placebo (175 and 178 in the FPV and placebo groups, respectively). Overall, 76% of the patients (240/315, 78% in FPV vs. 75% in placebo group) reached resolution of hypoxia on or before day 28. The median time to resolution of hypoxia was 7 days in the FPV group and 8 days in the placebo group. Treatment...
Clinical Infectious Diseases
Background Despite vaccination, many remain vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its complications. Oral antivirals to prevent COVID-19 progression are vital. Based on perceived potency and clinical efficacy, favipiravir is widely used to treat COVID-19. Evidence from large randomized controlled trials (RCT) is lacking. Methods In this multicenter double-blinded placebo-controlled RCT, adults with early mild-to-moderate COVID-19 were 1:1 randomized to favipiravir or placebo. The study evaluated time to sustained clinical recovery (TT-SCR), COVID-19 progression, and cessation of viral shedding. Results Of 1187 analyzed patients across 40 centers, 83.3% were Hispanic, 89.0% unvaccinated, 70.3% severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seronegative, and 77.8% had risk factors for COVID-19 progression. The median time from symptom presentation and from positive test to randomization was 3 and 2 days, respectively. There was no difference in TT-SCR (me...
IJRASET, 2021
Since last two years, whole world is going through the pandemic situation of Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19). It caused more than 43 lakhs deaths worldwide. COVID-19 outbreak all over the world has led the researchers and Scientists to develop drugs or vaccines to prevent the spreading of this virus. Due to the unavailabity of proper drug treatment, various veterinary drugs are trying in humans. It is one of such type of antiviral drug which was previously used in treatment of viral infection in animals and birds. In this article, we have tried to provide a comprehensive, evidence-based review of this drug in the context of the present pandemic to elucidate its role in the management of COVID-19.
Real-World Experience with Favipiravir for the Treatment of Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19 in India
Pragmatic and Observational Research
Background: Favipiravir, an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor (RdRp), is a broad-spectrum oral antiviral agent approved in India under emergency use authorization, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The present study was planned to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of favipiravir in real-world clinical practice. Materials and Methods: This was a multicentric, retrospective, single-arm study conducted across four centres in India, after obtaining permission from the independent ethics committee. Medical records were analysed to evaluate effectiveness and safety of patients who were prescribed favipiravir. Results: The medical records of a total of 360 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 358 of them available for the final analysis. Males made up 58.46% of the study population. The average age of enrolled patients was 51.80 ± 16.45 years. The most common symptoms were fever, cough, and myalgia-fatigue. The median time to clinical cure and fever relief was five and four days, respectively. The average length of stay in the hospital was six days. In total, 8% of the patients experienced adverse events. Hepatic enzyme elevation, diarrhoea, decreased appetite, headache, fatigue, and giddiness were the common symptoms. Conclusion: In our real-world study, favipiravir was found to have a clinical cure rate of more than 90% in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients. This supports the use of favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19. Favipiravir was well tolerated, with only minimal side effects, which were transient in nature.