First oral medicine for COVID-19 launched

As India's corona count touches the 4 lakh mark, the challenge to fight the pandemic gets tougher, the wait for vaccine is long and uncertain.

1.With number of cases touching 4 lakh, the battle against corona goes tougher

There is no sure shot medication to treat COVID-19 patients but hospitals are trying to cure the patients with integrated use of antiviral medicines.

2.There is no sure shot treatment for COVID-19

In the middle of all the panic first oral antiviral drug for mild and moderate COVID-19 patients has been launched

3. First oral antiviral drug to treat COVID-19 has been launched

Pharmaceuticals company Glenmark on Saturday said it has launched antiviral drug Favipiravir, under the brand name FabiFlu, for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

4.Glenmark pharmaceuticals launched FabiFlu

The Mumbai-based drug firm had on Friday received manufacturing and marketing approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

5.Drug Controller General of India has approved the manufacturing and marketing of FabiFlu

FabiFlu is the first oral Favipiravir-approved medication for the treatment of COVID-19, the company said in a statement. “This approval comes at a time when cases in India are spiralling like never before, putting a tremendous pressure on our healthcare system,” Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Chairman and ManagingDirector Glenn Saldanha said.

6. The new drug will be a relief for mild COVID-19 patients

The company hopes that the availability of an effective treatment such as FabiFlu will considerably help assuage this pressure, and offer patients in India a much needed and timely therapy option, he added.

7. Patients might get a timely therapy with FabiFlu

FabiFlu has demonstrated an encouraging response in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients during clinical trials, Saldanha said.

8.FabiFlu showed encouraging response during clinical trials:Saldanha

Moreover, it is orally administered, and so it serves as a more convenient treatment option over other intravenously administered medications, he noted.

9. It is convenient as it is administered orally

“Glenmark will work closely with the government and medical community to make FabiFlu quickly accessible to patients across the country,” Saldanha said.

10. The medicine will be made easily accessible to patients

The drug will be available as a prescription-based medication for Rs 103/tablet, with recommended dose being 1,800 mg twice on day one, followed by 800 mg twice daily up to day 14.

12. The drug will be available for Rs 103/ tablet

Favipiravir can be used for coronavirus patients with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and heart disease with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

13. The company claims the medicine can be used for patients with co-morbidities

It offers rapid reduction in viral load within four days and provides faster symptomatic and radiological improvement, the drug maker added.

14. The drug will reduce the viral load within 4 days: Saldanha

Favipiravir has shown clinical improvement of up to 88 per cent in mild to moderate COVID-19 cases, it said. The drug firm had successfully developed the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and the formulation for FabiFlu through its in-house R&D team.

15 Favipiravir has shown 88 % clinical improvement

India on Saturday saw another record spike of 14,516 new COVID-19 cases in a single day, pushing the tally to 3,95,048, while the death toll rose to 12,948 with 375 new fatalities, according to Union Health Ministry data.

16. India is witnessing record single day spike of COVID-19 cases everyday