Although Favipiravir was approved for the new flu treatment in China on February 15, 2020, clinical trials in the treatment of COVID-19 continue. Favipiravir is a new type of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibitor. In addition to anti-influenza virus activity, favipiravir can block the replication of flavi-, alpha-, filo-, bunya-, arena-, neuro- and other RNA viruses. Favipiravir is converted in cells to an active phosphorylated form and recognized as a substrate by viral RNA polymerase, thus inhibiting RNA polymerase activity. Therefore, it was thought that favipiravir might have a potential antiviral effect on SARS-CoV-2, an RNA virus. In this part of the article, there is also detailed information about the favicovir side effects described in academic sources and the Ministry of Health Covid-19 treatment guide. First of all, let’s look at the mechanism of this drug and the information obtained from academic sources about its effect.
In order to find out what favicovir does, the data in the literature should be examined, especially clinical studies. Among those who use favicovir, those who cannot give a complete answer to the question of what favicovir is useful for are in the majority. Although the scientific literature needs to be followed in depth with scientists, not every drug user needs to know how the drug works and what it does. Still, those who use favicovir wonder what this new drug, produced in your country, does. The main goal of this drug is to inhibit the coronavirus RNA polymerase enzyme. In other words, it treats the disease by inhibiting a certain enzyme of the covid19 virus. You can read other parts of the article to learn what this enzyme does and the exact mechanism.
In February, a series of clinical studies on favipiravir, or favicovir, for the treatment of COVID-19, initiated by the National Infectious Diseases Clinical Medicine Research Center and Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, provided promising results. In total, the initial results of about 80 patients (including the experimental group and the control group) clearly showed that favipiravir has a stronger antiviral effect than that of lopinavir + ritonavir.
There were no significant adverse reactions in the favipiravir treatment group and significantly fewer adverse reactions than in the lopinavir + ritonavir group. Favipiravir has complex, non-linear, time- and dose-dependent pharmacokinetics that are affected by weight. Since favipiravir is both metabolized and inhibited by the aldehyde oxidase enzyme, oral loading is required first to achieve adequate blood levels. Plasma half-life is about 4 hours.
For more information, check out this academic article: New Drug Against Coronavirus
