Fujifilm seeks approval for Avigan as COVID-19 therapy

16 October 2020

Fujifilm Toyama Chemical today revealed it has filed an application for partial changes (APC) to manufacturing and marketing approval matters of its anti-influenza drug Avigan (favipiravir) tablets to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan (MHLW).

The filing seeks to add an indication and other items relating to novel coronavirus, ie, COVID-19, said Fujifilm Toyama, a unit of Japanese conglomerate Fujifilm Holdings, whose share closed up 2.5% at 5,466 yen on the news.

Avigan, approved for manufacture and sale in Japan as an influenza antiviral drug in 2014, selectively inhibits RNA polymerase necessary for influenza virus replication. Due to this mechanism of action, it has been expected that Avigan may have an antiviral effect on the novel coronavirus, as they are RNA viruses of the same type as influenza viruses.

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