Favipiravir and its potentials in COVID-19 pandemic: An update

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine
• Main Authors: Dao Ngoc Hien Tam, Ahmad T Qarawi, Mai Ngoc Luu, Morgan Turnage, Linh Tran, Gehad Mohamed Tawfik, Le Huu Nhat Minh, Nguyen Tien Huy, Tatsuo Iiyama, Kyoshi Kita, Kenji Hirayama
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021
• Subjects: favipiravir; avigan; covid-19; sars-cov-2; antiviral; review; efficacy; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.4103/1995-7645.329005; https://doaj.org/article/92aa3ea95573475f96d9ee194f5473ad

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths and hundreds of millions of confirmed infections worldwide. This pandemic has prompted researchers to produce medications or vaccines to reduce or stop the progression and spread of this disease. A variety of previously licensed and marketed medications are being tested for the treatment and recurrence of SARS-CoV2, including favipiravir (Avigan). Favipiravir was recognized as an influenza antiviral drug in Japan in 2014, and has been known to have a potential in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2, in addition to its broad therapeutic safety scope. Favipiravir was recently approved and officially used in many countries worldwide. Our review provides insights and up-to-date knowledge of the current role of favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19 infection, focusing on pre-clinical and ongoing clinical trials, evidence of its efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19, side effects, anti-viral mechanism, and the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug in the treatment of COVID-19. Due to its teratogenic effects, favipiravir cannot be offered to expectant or pregnant mothers. The practical efficacy of such an intervention regimen will depend on its dose, treatment duration, and cost as well as difficulties in application.