JAKARTA - The company Fujifilm Holdings has submitted approval for the anti-influenza drug Avigan as a COVID-19 drug to Japanese authorities. This follows the positive results in the final phase studies conducted.

Fujifilm previously claimed Avigan's final-stage study showed an accelerated recovery time for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms. The news has a positive impact on Fujifilm, with a 3 percent increase in shares.

The final stage clinical examination involving 156 patients in Japan showed that those who took Avigan medicine recovered after 11.9 days. The results show an advantage over the use of the placebo user group which took 14.7 days.

Its subsidiary, Fuji Film Toyama Chemical said these results were statistically significant. Avigan, known by the generic name favipiravir, is approved in Japan as an influenza drug.

The drug is now the subject of at least 16 clinical trials around the world. However, concerns over the drug still exist as Avigan has been shown to cause birth defects in animal testing.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe touted Avigan's potential as Japan's contribution to the global race to find a cure for COVID-19.


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