The anti-flu drug Avigan will soon be in the hands of 38 countries from Japan. But it is not yet confirmed if China is getting any.
This good news from Japan is confirmed according to Toshimitsu Motegi, as many countries with coronavirus breakout are in need of medication that can help them.
On Tuesday, news conference held by Motegi said that the drug Avigan will be available for 70 countries, including the 38 countries that have made requests for Avigan. There is a total amount of $1 million grant to the United Nations Office for Project Services to buy and distribute the drug, also known as Favipiravir, if countries want to get it.
Motegi said that the UN agency will start to transport the drug at an estimated time around the holidays, when all the paperwork is all done. The shipping of the drug will coincide with the last five days of the Golden Week holidays starting Saturday till next Wednesday.
Among the 38 nations include 25 Euro countries which is mostly from Eastern Europe. Six in Asia including the Philippines and Malaysia will get the drug. Other recipients include five in the Middle East such as Kuwait and two from other regions. These are the countries reported by the Foreign Ministry which will get Avigan.
Motegi added that Japan will be given the data from clinical tests carried out on COVID-19 patients who were part of the study. Trials will be done in recipient countries that need the drug for their ailing patients. The drug was developed with the auspices of Fujifilm Holdings Corp.
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Japan has been testing the drugs which will continue until June, which followed up on a lead from a study done in China that seemed to have success in curing symptoms of the coronavirus.
According to Motegi, "It is vital that the international community cooperate in swiftly developing effective therapeutic drugs." He made references to such drugs as very crucial to be acquired the soonest, compared to vaccines that will take longer. Having these intermediate cures will be a stop-gap until a vaccine is fully developed.
The government urged the group Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co. to step up the production of the drug Avigan. One limitation of administering the drug is that it can cause birth defects to babies. Hence, pregnant women cannot take it.
An emergency package to lessen the impact of the "economic fallout from the virus adopted earlier this month, ¥13.9 billion will be allocated to boost the stockpile of Avigan to three times the current amount for use in treating 2 million people infected with the coronavirus."
One study in China that was finished in March, had indications that it benefitted patients that have milder symptoms. Beijing sounded out that it will use it as part of the treatment for COVID-19.
One report says that the health ministry will give a go signal for an antigen test kit, which can detect coronavirus infections, said sources.
The developer Tokyo-based testing reagent developer Fujirebio Inc. applied for approval for its test kit Monday. This kit can detect proteins of the coronavirus, from a sample taken from the rear of the nostrils.
A race to get a median drug for COVID-19 patients like Avigan is crucial, especially with 38 nations getting it.
