As the search for possible COVID-19 treatment continues, the clinical trials of the Japanese anti-viral flu drug Avigan in the Philippines will start on August 10, 2020, said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday.

Based in the interview of Vergeire on Unang Hirit, she said that all is set for the trial to begin, after the Philippines received around 199,000 Avigan tablets from Japan for the trials.

“We have identified site na hospital kung saan gagamitin ito. We will already start on August 10 for this Avigan trial so abangan na lang po natin, nandito na naman po ‘yung mga gamot,” she said.

Vergeire said Avigan does not need the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as it has already been approved by Japanese health authorities.

“Avigan has been approved by FDA for long kasi ginagamit na ho talaga iyan sa flu, so ‘yan naman ay meron na. Hindi po ng FDA natin but FDA ng Japan.”

“Kaya pagpasok dito wala na ho tayo masyadong regulatory processes na mangyayari because it’s been approved [already].”

Based on the statement from the Japanese Embassy in Manila, Avigan tablets will be tested on 100 patients in the Philippines and that the donation of the drug is part of its emergency grant aid to countries severely affected by COVID-19.

Furthermore, as for each recipient government, it said, “has acknowledged Avigan’s proper usage and prescription in view of its known adverse side effects.”

Avigan is the brand name of the drug favipiravir. It was developed by what is now known as Fujifilm Toyama Chemical and approved for use in Japan in 2014.

However in Japan, it is only approved for use in flu outbreaks that aren’t being effectively addressed by existing medications. It is not available on the market and can only be manufactured and distributed at the request of the Japanese government.

Clinical trials of Avigan came amid spike in COVID-19 infection in the Philippines, which is now a virus hot spot in Southeast Asia, overtaking Indonesia Thursday with 119,460 infections, as of GMA News.

President Rodrigo Duterte had reported to Congress in May that some P18 million will be spent by the Department of Health (DOH) for clinical trials on Avigan on treating patients with COVID-19.

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