Japan announced Monday it is able to provide an anti-influenza drug developed to treat the Ebola Virus any time the World Health Organization needs it, according to The Associated Press via Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
Favipiravir, also known by brand name Avigan, was developed by Toyama Chemical Co., a subsidiary of Fujifilm Holdings Corp., to treat new and current influenza virus, according to Al Jazeera.
Though it has not been proven to effectively treat Ebola in humans, medical officials stated tests on mice showed results, according to the Daily Mail UK.
Takao Aoki said Fujifilm is talking with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about clinically testing Avigan to treat Ebola. Aoki believes the new drug will be able to treat Ebola since Ebola and influenza viruses are the same general type, AP reported.
How does Avigan work?
The drug "inhibits viral gene replication within infected cells to prevent propagation," according to AP via the company, while other anti-viral drugs are usually "designed to inhibit the release of new viral particles to prevent the spread of infection."
And according to Aoki, there is enough favipiravir for more than 20,000 patients.
Cabinet spokesman Suga said Japan is waiting for the WHO's decision about the use of the untested drug for Ebola but they "may respond to individual requests before any ... decision by WHO" in the case of an emergency.
Earlier this month WHO stated it is ethical to use untested drugs on those infected with Ebola due to the massive outbreak, according to The Daily Mail UK.
Ebola has killed more than 1,400 people in West Africa. Two Americans infected with Ebola recovered after using ZMapp, an experimental drug, though a Liberian doctor who also received the drug died, according to AP via Liberia's information center.
