Clinical Trials For Potential Covid-19 Drug Favipiravir To Begin In India

Bengaluru-based pharmaceutical company Strides Pharma Science has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India to conduct clinical trials of antiviral drug Favipiravir, for potential treatment for COVID-19.

While Strides founder and non-executive chairman Arun Kumar did not give out any giving details of the said trial, he did announce receiving approval from the Drug Controller General of India for the same. This comes after pharmaceuticals giant Glenmark revealed, last month, that it has become the first in India to get approval to conduct trials for Favipiravir.

Favipiravir is manufactured under the brand name Avigan by a unit of Japan’s Fujifilm Holdings Corp and was approved for use as an anti-flu drug in the country in 2014. It is now being tested as a potential treatment for COVID-19.