Avigan, an anti-flu drug also known as favipiravir (Provided by Fujifilm Holdings Corp.)
The Japanese Health Ministry said on Monday its medical review board concluded that clinical trial data to determine the efficacy of Fujifilm Holdings Corp s COVID-19 drug candidate Avigan is inconclusive.
The review board will re-examine Avigan s effectiveness once additional data is submitted, the ministry said.
Fujifilm has been seeking approval for its antiviral drug Avigan as a treatment for COVID-19 in Japan since October after its late-stage study showed faster recovery time for patients with non-severe symptoms.
A health ministry official did not elaborate reasons for the decision at a media briefing, but said one of the major topics at the review board meeting was the fact that clinical trial data submitted was acquired in so-called single-blinded tests.
Avigan effectiveness not yet clear, Japan health ministry panel says Sorry, but your browser needs Javascript to use this site. If you re not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site: https://www.enable-javascript.com/
Jiji Dec 22, 2020
A health ministry panel has postponed a decision on whether to approve the use of influenza drug Avigan as a treatment for COVID-19, citing difficulty in determining the drug’s effectiveness with currently available data.
The Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Sanitation Council will examine Avigan’s effectiveness again early next year, or later, if Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co., a Fujifilm Holdings Corp. subsidiary that developed the drug, submits additional data from its ongoing clinical tests.