As the long haul to a universal vaccine becomes more apparent, our thoughts turn to a better treatment protocol. CNBC reports Russia is in the final stages of testing a drug Avifavir which is proving highly effective. Therefore, this is a major step forward, according to Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of Russia’s sovereign Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). With Russia trialing an influenza drug for COVID-19 that confidently, this therefore must be worth exploring.
Run Up to Russia Trialing the Influenza Drug for Covid-19
The clinical trials involving 300 patients are still in progress. However, Russia’s Ministry of Health has already temporarily approved Avifavir as a coronavirus treatment. The only equivalent regime Russia recognizes is America’s remdesivir. Who could have imagined a two horse race like this for the world’s richest prize?
Moreover, Russia is trialing the new influenza drug for COVID-19 on the back of an earlier clinical trial. In this test, 65% of 40 patients tested negative for coronavirus after five days treatment. Moreover, this was twice better than the control group under standard therapy. I think it’s important for many countries to cooperate, says RDIF’s Kirill Dmitriev.
What We Know About the Avifavir Antiviral Drug
Avifavir is a generic version of the Japanese drug Favipiravir, trade name Avignan. Fujifilm’s Toyama Chemical developed it in 2014, and licensed it to Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co. of China. However, it became a generic drug in 2019 after the original patents expired.
Several nations have been exploring Favipiravir applications for COVID-19. This was after animal trials previously proved it effective against Ebola, West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever, and Foot and Mouth Disease.
Russia is trialing the influenza drug for COVID-19 on the back of solid evidence. We welcome this imitative with open arms. All of us are in this crisis together, throughout the world. We therefore wish them every success as they fight a rampant virus in their huge country. They are building stocks for roll out.
Related
Will Work From Home Change City Landscapes
Understanding a Virus on Human Terms
Preview Image: Call Center in Moscow
