A new drug containing favipiravir, manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Egis, has been approved by the National Institute of Pharmacy and Food Health (OGYÉI) for the treatment of coronavirus, the institute informed MTI this Saturday.

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The drug is expected to be used in the treatment of coronavirus patients starting in mid-January, and will be managed by the state health reserve and delivered to healthcare providers.

OGYÉI recalled that the Egis pharmaceutical company started development of drugs containing favipiravir in April, as a result of which OGYÉI approved the use of the drug in Hungary on Friday. OGYÉI conducted the evaluation of Egis favipiravir-containing products in an accelerated procedure. The authority decided to authorize the product in Hungary after reviewing the authorization file, they explained.

The institute emphasized that OGYÉI considers it a priority to carry out its tasks related to the treatment of coronavirus and the prevention of Covid infection. “In recent months, developments related to drugs for use in coronavirus patients have started and are continuing at an unprecedented rate, both in Hungary and in other countries,” he wrote.

OGYÉI also assisted in the Egis medicine development process with multiple consultations during the licensing process, the aim of which was to enable the right quality medicine to be marketed and delivered to Hungarian patients as soon as possible. OGYÉI provides this support to all Hungarian manufacturers, the institute said.

At the same time, it was emphasized that OGYÉI also does not allow strict quality requirements in the expedited procedure.

Favipiravir is the second drug used in Covid therapy after remdesivir and has been approved by OGYÉI for home use.



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