COVID-19: German government decides to buy Avigan: millions of tablets for severely ill patients
[Berlin]
German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine:
On April 2, the German government reported that it would begin purchasing an influenza drug developed in Japan, Avigan, for the treatment of a new type of coronavirus infection.
It is expected to be in the millions of tablets, and will be administered to severely ill patients.
A German expert said the treatment could be effective.
Avigan:
Developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical (Tokyo), a pharmaceutical company under Fujifilm.
A Chinese study reported that pneumonia patients had improved symptoms, and clinical trials are in progress in Japan.
Frankfurter Allgemeine:
Clinical trials are taking place in Italy, where deaths are on the rise, and the Indonesian government has ordered a large number.
(Kyodo News)-Yahoo! News
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20200402-00000191-kyodonews-soci
Germany to use Avigan for coronavirus treatment
Germany
plans to use anti-flu drug Avigan developed by a Japanese chemical firm for the treatment of pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus.
Officials from the country’s Federal Health Ministry
told NHK that Avigan would be used to treat coronavirus patients with severe illness.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
says Germany plans to procure millions of packages of the drug.
Avigan was developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical as an anti-flu drug.
China has said its clinical study has confirmed that Avigan is effective for improving the symptoms of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus.
German researchers
are looking to Avigan with much interest as a hopeful drug for the disease, saying the drug can produce results.
NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
https://www.google.co.jp/amp/s/www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200402_38/amp.html
Corona: Grippemittel Avigan aus Japan könnte Patienten retten
Pharmaunternehmen und Wissenschaftler in der ganzen Welt treiben unter Hochdruck nicht nur die Forschung nach einem Impfstoff, sondern auch nach Heilmitteln gegen das grassierende Coronavirus voran.
Für einen regelrechten Hype sorgt in Asien die antivirale Grippetablette Avigan.
Das Medikament ist im Gegensatz zu Deutschland in Japan schon begrenzt zugelassen und verhindert normalerweise, dass sich ein Grippevirus im Körper repliziert.
Die Regierung in China teilte zuletzt mit, dass aus Wuhan, von wo aus sich das Virus ausbreitete, vielversprechende klinische Studien vorlägen.
Das beförderte noch mal die Hoffnung.
Nach Informationen der F.A.Z. deckt sich Deutschland nun kurzfristig mit dem Medikament ein.
Verantwortlich ist das Bundesgesundheitsministerium.
Es gehe um Millionen Packungen, heißt es aus Behördenkreisen.