Companies in Iran are ready to produce the new Japanese anti-flu drug Avigan, which is said to be effective in the treatment of coronavirus, said an official on Friday. Dr. Masoud Mardani, an infectious diseases specialist and a member of the National Committee for Coronavirus Fight in Iran, said if the clinical trials for hospitalised patients showed and proved positive results, Iranian companies can produce this drug on a large scale. The price of the Iranian version of the drug will be much lower than foreign ones, and the patients with coronavirus can easily use them, local news outlet ifpnews quoted Mardani as saying. "Fortunately, the initial results of this research project were satisfactory, and we are waiting for the final result of the clinical trial of this drug." Mardani said. The antiviral drug, which is also known as favipiravir, has been hailed by several health experts in China as a potential drug to treat patients infected with the coronavirus. It has been developed two years ago by Japanese company Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Company, a unit of Fujifilm Holdings. The drug was also discovered to be useful in treating Crimean Congo fever, ifpnews quoted Mardani as saying. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday approved the country's first clinical trial of the new drug, to be used by three Massachusetts hospitals. Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and UMass Memorial Health Care in Worcester will launch small trials of the drug, which will involve around 50 or 60 patients with the coronavirus, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and UMass Memorial Health Care in Worcester will launch small trials of the drug, a doctor involved in the efforts told the Boston Globe. The U.S. trials would involve around 50 or 60 patients with the coronavirus, Dr. Keith T. Flaherty from the Massachusetts General Hospital told the Boston Global.
