Bokaro: The district health department has received 100 pieces of antiviral drug ‘Virafin’ for the treatment of moderate Covid-19 patients. Its manufacturer Zydus Cadila has received restricted emergency use approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) about three weeks ago.
Civil surgeon, Dr A K Pathak said that “we have received the drug and will soon begin its use on mild Covid patients in the district. It will be given free of cost”.
‘Virafin,’ a single-use medication obtained emergency use clearance from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the country’s apex medicine regulator on April 23. At a time when India’s healthcare system is under immense strain, Zydus claims that the drug will reduce the dependence of Covid-19 patients on oxygen support and improve recovery time.
Virafin, also known as Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b, may be given in moderate cases of infection. The body’s need for oxygen is immediate when the viral load is between moderate and high. The viral load, as well as the need for oxygen, will be decreased as a result of using this drug, said sources.
In the phase-3 trials, the drug was able to achieve “better clinical improvement in the patients suffering from Covid-19. A higher proportion (91.5 per cent) of patients administered the drug were RT-PCR negative by day seven” as it ensures faster viral clearance, read a statement by Zydus.
Days after receiving approval for emergency use of its medicine ‘Virafin’ to treat moderate cases of COVID-19, Zydus Cadila has reportedly pegged the price of the drug at Rs 11,995 per dose.
