TOKYO – Japan will start sending Avigan (favipiravir) to 43 recipient countries affected by COVID-19 from next week.
The antiviral drug, which was developed by Fujifilm Toyama Co. Ltd., is seen as a potential treatment for patients infected with the new coronavirus.
Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu said on Friday that 80 countries have requested for the provision of Avigan, of which 43 have coordinated specific measures for free supplies of the drug.
He said that transportation will begin after the Golden Week through a UN organization.
“In terms of dosage, for each country, this is for clinical research, it will be for 20 patients and for a maximum of 100 patients. That will be the supply to be provided,” he told a press conference.
Motegi assured that Japan “will continue to cooperate with countries all over the world” in search of curative drugs for COVID-19. - Florenda Corpuz
(Photograph by Din Eugenio)
