BRIEF—No significant clinical benefit with umifenovir addition in COVID-19 treatment

Indian drugmaker Glenmark Pharmaceuticals today announced results of its “FAITH” combination trial with antivirals umifenovir and favipiravir for the treatment of moderate hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Addition of umifenovir did not demonstrate any addition benefit over the favipiravir alone in moderate COVID-19 patients, said Glenmark.

Moreover, umifenovir did not show superior clinical outcomes when added to favipiravir, and the trial did not meet key end-points.

This was the second clinical study after the successful favipiravir monotherapy trial earlier this year that led the company to receiving the Emergency Use Authorization for the drug.

Favipiravir, which carries the trade name FabiFlu, was approved by for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients by India’s medicines regulator in June this year.