“We have achieved good results: This drug is already sold in over 15 countries,” said recently, Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Fund for direct investments (purchases), in Russian television. There is, in fact, only two antiviral drugs that would be delivered in a certain number of countries: the American Remdesivir and the Russian Avifavir.
“90 percent of Remdesivir the USA have bought. Therefore, we are not surprised to us that 15 countries buy our drug,” says Dmitriev. Among other things, there were seven countries in Latin America and South Africa.
The Russian authorities had admitted at the end of may, a drug called Favipiravir. It was developed from the purchases together with the company Khimrar from the Russian city of Khimki. The formulation is based on the Japanese homonymous Influenza agent Favipiravir, which is under the brand name Avigan to be known.
In Russia has been modified, the Japanese drug “easily,” as Dmitriev said at a Meeting with President Vladimir Putin. And in June, Russian hospitals received for the first time in Russia made preparation against COVID-19, under the trade name Avifavir. In the media, it is referred to as “the Russian remedy against Coronavirus”.
recipe from Japan
Favipiravir (Avigan) was approved in 2014 in Japan as a remedy against Influenza, but with restrictions. Is allowed the application against new influenza viruses, but also in cases where other medications are not working, so as a last resort.
the Western media are reporting that the approval process was difficult and took three years because of malformations in the newborn as a side effect. Therefore, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take the drug.
Favipiravir blocks the propagation of a number of viruses. Among other things, it was used against the Ebola virus in Africa. Doctors refer to it as a Japanese Version of Remdesivir, a US-registered Anti-Ebola drug, which is also used in the treatment of COVID-19 as promising.
in Front of the Coronavirus Avigan in Japan, it was for other Influenza-means no competition. The drug it was not on sale, but was made only on behalf of the government as a Reserve in the event of a pandemic. Since February 2020, it is used in Japanese hospitals in the treatment of Coronavirus patients. Japanese media reported that the drug works well for a mild Corona history. In severe cases, it should seem, however, hardly.
Germany buys on the stock
Japan is far from the only country in the Avigan against Corona is used. About 40 countries, including Germany, use it since April, in clinical trials, along with dozens of other promising drugs against COVID-19.
The Federal Ministry of health informed on request of the DW that around 260,000 Avigan tablets for the treatment of severe gradients of COVID-19 bought for the case of a new Corona-shaft and to selected clinics distributed had been.
Favipiravir is also manufactured in China, and in clinical studies against the Coronavirus applied. The German virologist Christian Drosten of the Berlin clinic Charite pointed out that the patient was there “has been a tremendous concentration of the substance is given”. At the same time, he warned of side effects, which would indicate an acute Problem of the kidneys. A long-term application is therefore questionable.
be Careful optimistic
Favipiravir against COVID-19 promising and comparable with Remdesivir, says Helmut Hahn, Chairman of the German-Russian Koch-Mechnikov-forum. “It is good that there are the means, but there is no formal proof for its effectiveness, according to our criteria,” he said.
According to the valve can not be used in Germany a drug with such a drug, since no extensive research data are available. “If Russia, this means already used today for the treatment of a large number of patients, this is understandable,” said Hahn.
He attributes this to the greater extent of the Corona problem in Russia, and therefore, necessary measures. In addition, the “controls and regulations in Russia are not as stringent” as in Germany. This is true both for clinical trials as well as for the authorisation of medicinal products. “This does not mean, however, that one is better than the other,” says Hahn.
Gerd Glaeske of the University of Bremen holds Favipiravir for “a Remdesivir comparable Option that may mitigate the course of disease at least”. With regard to the new Russian modification of, advises Glaeske, to pay attention to the instruction leaflet.
In the approval of Favipiravir (Avifavir) of the Russian Ministry of health, is spoken of as a “drug with a direct anti-viral effect”. On the Website of the state medicines register of the General term “antiviral agent”, which may only be in hospitals applied. Under a registration and documentation sun. In addition, a “report on a clinical study conducted” in the context of the treatment of COVID had to 19 be presented.
author: Roman Goncharenko, (Adapt.:Markian Ostaptschuk)
*The contribution of “Made in Moscow: The Corona-medium-Avifavir” published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.
Deutsche Welle
