Breaking: Anti-COVID-19 Drug FabiFlu Launched By Glenmark
DCGI Approves Favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19.
Imsge Credit:Twitter
Positive India:New Delhi;21June 20:
Amid Corona crisis, Indian Drug maker Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has launched Anti-COVID-19 drug Favipiravir with brand name FabiFlu. It will be used in the treatment of COVID-19 in mild to moderate conditions.
Drug Controller General of India(DCGI) has approved Favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19 under Emergency Use Authorization. DCGI allowed fast track trials of Phase-3 with limited patients.
Glenmark conducted clinical trials among 90 mild and 60 moderate COVID-19 patients across 11 cities of India.In these trials, Favipiravir has shown an efficacy of 88% in treating mild to moderate COVID-19 cases.
Favipiravir offers rapid reduction in viral load just within 4 days and provides faster symptomatic and radiological improvement.
Glenmark has developed API and formulations for its brand FabiFlu through its own inhouse Research and Development team.
Mode of Action:FabiFlu acts by getting into cells and inhibits the activity of viral replication to reduce the viral load. Its mode of action is unique in the sense that it gets converted into an active phosphoribosylated form(Favipiravir-RTP) in cells and recognised as a substrate by viral RNA polymerase activity.
Dose: The recommended dose is 1800 mg twice a day on day 1; followed by 800mg B.I.D upto 14th day.
It is costing 103/tab and is available in the pack size of 34 tablets for Rs.3500/-.
Chairman and MD of Glenmark Glenn Saldanha said,”This approval comes at a time when COVID-19 in India is spiralling like never before, putting a tremendous pressure on our healthcare system.We hope that availability of an effective treatment such as FabiFlu will considerably help assuage this pressure and offers patients in India a much needed and timely therapy option.
It is to be noted that India has crossed 4 lacs Corona Positive Cases with fatality rate of 3.28%. On 20th June, 14516 Corona Positive cases have been reported-the single day highest in India.
4 more Indian Pharmaceutical companies Brinton Pharma, Strides Pharmaceuticals, Lasa Super Generics, and Optimus Pharmaceuticals have received approval from DCGI to manufacture and market Favipiravir as drug of treatment for COVID-19 in India. Soon these companies will launch their brands.
