In a move that is expected to check the blackmarketing of anti-viral drug ‘Remdesivir’, the Drugs Controller General of India’s (DCGI) on Friday gave its nod to Zydus Cadila’s Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b, ‘Virafin’ for the treatment of moderate Covid-19 infection in adults. The approval has been given under emergency usage category.
Zydus Cadila had sought the Centre’s nod for Virafin, on April 5, claiming it had shown promising results in treating Covid-19. A single dose of Virafin shows significant improvement as 91.15 per cent of patients were tested RT PCR negative by day 7. It also reduces hours of supplemental oxygen in the patients.
“A single-dose subcutaneous regimen of the antiviral Virafin will make the treatment more convenient for the patients. When administered early on during COVID-19, Virafin will help patients recover faster and avoid much of the complications,” the company said in a statement adding that it has also shown efficacy against other viral infections.
“The fact that we are able to offer a therapy which significantly reduces the viral load when given early on can help in better disease management. It comes at a much-needed time for patients and we will continue to provide them access to critical therapies in this battle against Covid-19,” said Dr Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Cadila Healthcare Limited.
In its Phase III clinical trials, the therapy had shown better clinical improvement in the patients suffering from COVID-19. During the trials, a higher proportion of patients administered with PegIFN arm were RT-PCR negative by day 7.
The drug ensures faster viral clearance and has several add-on advantages compared to other anti-viral agents, as per the company’s statement.
Officials in the Union Health Ministry said that with the availability of one more drug under the experimental drug therapy, the pressure on the other drugs like Remdesivir which is being sold in black market because of its huge demand will be reduced and the doctors will have more choices to offer to the patients for Covid treatment.