New Delhi (NVI): Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has announced the launch of antiviral drug Favipiravir for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients at a price of about Rs 103 per tablet.
The drug manufacturing firm on Saturday announced that it has received regulatory approval for oral antiviral Favipiravir (brand name FabiFlu®).
“Glenmark has received manufacturing and marketing approval from India’s drug regulator, making FabiFlu® the first oral Favipiravir-approved medication in India for the treatment of COVID-19,” the company said in a statement.
The drug will be available as a 200 mg tablet at a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 3,500 for a strip of 34 tablets, the company said.
Favipiravir is backed by strong clinical evidence showing encouraging results in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, claims Glenmark.
The antiviral offers broad spectrum RNA virus coverage with clinical improvement noted across age groups 20 to more than 90 years. Favipiravir can be used in COVID-19 patients with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and heart disease with mild to moderate COVID 19 symptoms, according to a statement released by the firm.
It offers rapid reduction in viral load within four days and provides faster symptomatic and radiological improvement. “Of most importance, Favipiravir has shown clinical improvement of up to 88% in COVID-19 mild to moderate COVID 19 cases,” the company has claims.
“This approval comes at a time when cases in India are spiralling like never before, putting a tremendous pressure on our healthcare system. We hope the availability of an effective treatment such as FabiFlu® will considerably help assuage this pressure, and offer patients in India a much needed and timely therapy option,” said Glenn Saldanha, Chairman and Managing Director of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Favipiravir is a generic version of Avigan of Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, Japan, a subsidiary of Fujifilm Corporation. Considering a minimum of two strips per patient, Glenmark will be able to provide FabiFlu for about 82,500 patients in the first month itself.
