Index – National – An effective drug for treating Hungarian coronavirus patients

The name of the preparation is favipiravir and it can be used to treat Hungarian patients, according to a post on the website of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (ITM). Tamás Schanda, the Secretary of State for the Ministry, said: we must protect people’s lives and health at the same time and ensure that Hungary works. It is also very encouraging for the national development of favipiravir that Japanese clinical trials have shown it to be effective against Covid-19 symptoms. During the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic, ITM launched more than 20 development programs for effective control. Development of the Japanese broad-spectrum antiviral drug favipiravir in Hungary began in April. According to research in Japan, Avigan tablets containing the active substance favipiravir prevented the virus from multiplying in patients with moderate coronavirus who had been treated for early pneumonia and alleviated clinical symptoms such as fever or shortness of breath within 12 days.

Academician Miklós György Keserű, head of the consortium developing favipiravir at the Natural Sciences Research Center, said: Along with previously approved remdesivir, the efficacy of two antiviral drugs against COVID-19 infection has already been demonstrated. He suggested that favipiravir is an oral drug that can help reduce the burden on the healthcare system.

Academician Gábor L. Kovács, a University of Pécs Head of the HECRIN Consortium for Hungarian Favipiravir Clinical Trials He noted that Avigan has successfully prevented the deterioration of patients, making intensive therapeutic treatment for many of them avoidable. The consortium has obtained the necessary licenses for Avigan’s clinical trial in Hungary. Therefore, Hungarian patients can already receive a proven antiviral treatment.