Could Zyesami be next (or soon) in India?
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Antiviral Granted Emergency Approval to Treat Moderate COVID-19 Adult Patients in India
April 24, 2021 - 2:48 pm CDT - Coronavirus Today
India-based Zydus Cadila announced that the company had received Restricted Emergency Use Approval from the Drug Controller General of India to use ‘Virafin,’ Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b (PegIFN) in treating moderate COVID-19 infection in adults.
When a single-dose subcutaneous regimen is administered early on during COVID-19, Virafin will help patients recover faster and avoid much of the complications, said the company's press statement issued on April 23, 2021.
In the multicentric phase 3 trial conducted in 20-25 centers across India, Virafin had shown the lesser need for supplemental oxygen, clearly indicating that it could control respiratory distress and failure, which has been one of the major challenges in treating COVID-19.
The Phase III trials demonstrated that a higher proportion of patients in the PegIFN arm showed a two-point statistically significant clinical improvement (WHO 7-point ORDINAL SCALE) on day 8 as compared to the Standard of Care (SOC arm) (80.36% vs. 68.18%).
Speaking on the development, Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Cadila Healthcare Limited, commented, “The fact that we can 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.”
Virafin will be available on the prescription of a medical specialist for use in a hospital / institutional setup in India.
Zydus Cadila is a leading Indian pharmaceutical company located in Ahmedabad and is a fully integrated, global healthcare provider.
—Staff Review
Medical Review byDanielle Reiter, RN
