Zydus said that in its phase 3 trial 91.15 percent of patients treated with “Virafin” were RT-PCR negative by day 7. The treatment significantly reduces the hours of supplemental oxygen in the patients
Gujarat-based pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila got an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) today by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for its single-shot drug, “Virafin”. The authorization comes at a time when India has breached the 3 lakh mark of daily COVID-19 cases.
According to the company, a single-dose subcutaneous regimen of the antiviral drug will make treatment of COVID-19 disease more convenient with moderate COVID-19 patients testing RT-PCR negative by Day 7. In its regulatory filing, Zydus said “When administered early on during COVID, Virafin will help patients recover faster and avoid much of the complications. Virafin will be available on the prescription of medical specialist for use in hospital/institutional setup.”
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“In the multicentric trial conducted in 20-25 centers across India, Virafin had shown lesser need for supplemental oxygen, clearly indicating that it was able to control respiratory distress and failure which has been one of the major challenges in treating COVID-19. The drug has also shown efficacy against other viral infections,” the company also said.
“The fact that we are able to offer a therapy which significantly reduces the viral load when given early on can help in better disease management. It comes at a much-needed time for patients and we will continue to provide them access to critical therapies in this battle against COVID-19.”
-Dr. Sharvil Patel, Md, Cadila Healthcare Limited
Meanwhile, India and its health system continue to struggle with the second wave of the pandemic. India recorded 3,32,730 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since the pandemic broke out last year. India has crossed the mark of 3 lakh COVID-19 cases for two consecutive days now.
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