On Mar. 31, 2020, FUJIFILM announced initiation of a phase III clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of influenza antiviral drug ‘Avigan Tablet’ (generic name: favipiravir) in Japan for patients of COVID-19, a respiratory infection caused by the novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

Avigan, approved for manufacture and sale as an influenza antiviral drug in Japan, has a mechanism of action for selectively inhibiting RNA polymerase involved in influenza viral replication. Due to this mechanism, it was expected that Avigan may potentially have an antiviral effect on the new coronavirus as it is classified into the same type of single-stranded RNA virus as influenza, and its clinical application to treat COVID-19 is now under study.

In early March, Fujifilm already began increased production of Avigan and now plans to accelerate the production of Avigan through cooperation with domestic and overseas partners for responding to the needs of the Japanese government and other countries.

Fujifilm intends to sincerely cooperate with the supply of Avigan to such countries in consultation and coordination with the Japanese government to combat COVID-19 and contribute to tackling the spread of this global pandemic at the earliest possible stage.

Avigan Tablet was approved for manufacture and sale in Japan in 2014 as an influenza antiviral drug. The drug is to be considered for use only when there is an outbreak of novel or re-emerging influenza virus infections in which other influenza antiviral drugs are either not effective or insufficiently effective, and the Japanese government decides to use the drug as a countermeasure against such influenza viruses.

The drug is to be supplied only at the discretion of Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. It is therefore only manufactured and distributed upon request by the Japanese Government. As such, while the Japanese government has a certain stockpile of the drug, Avigan has never been distributed in the market and is not available at hospitals and pharmacies in Japan or overseas.

FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical conducts the research, development, manufacture, and sales of radiopharmaceuticals and small molecule pharmaceutical products.