What kind of medicine is farpiravir?
Farpiravir is a broad-spectrum antiviral drug, which was first marketed in Japan on 20 14. Its main indication is to treat new and recurrent influenza. The drug belongs to broad-spectrum antiviral drugs of RNA polymerase inhibitors. Therefore, from the mechanism of action, as a COVID-19 belonging to RNA virus, Farpiravir is also one of the potential antiviral drugs.
In vitro drug experiments, Famila Wei also showed a certain inhibitory effect on COVID-19. Therefore, due to the authorization agreement signed between Haizheng Pharmaceutical and Japanese original research company, Famila Wei's application for registration in China is also in progress. On February 15, the State Administration of Pharmaceutical Products quickly approved the registration application of famiravir. What is the drug name? Fabila Wei? Whatever it is called, it's actually drugs.
In this paper, the pharmacological effects of Xiafapiravir were briefly introduced. This drug is a prodrug, that is, it has no antiviral effect, and can be quickly converted into the form of farpinavir nucleoside triphosphate (M6 for short) in vivo. M6 can competitively inhibit viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase by simulating guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and inhibit viral genome replication and transcription, thus playing an antiviral role. In addition, M6 can penetrate into human virus genes and play an antiviral role by inducing lethal virus mutation.
Introduction of clinical trials of farpiravir.
At the press conference, we affirmed the clinical effect of Farpiravir, mainly based on the clinical trial results, and briefly analyzed the clinical trial results of Farpiravir with you.
Number of patients in COVID-19: 35 patients were treated with farpiravir, with the dose of 1 day being 3200mg, and the dose of 1200mg from the second day to the fourth day, taking orally twice a day. The course of treatment is virus clearance or the longest 14 days. There are 45 patients in COVID-19, who are matched with the severity, sex and age of the disease. Compared with 14 days, the median time from medication to virus clearance, the improvement rate of chest imaging and drug safety, the median time for virus clearance in the treatment group was 4 days (2.5~9 days), while that in the control group was 1 1 day. Judging from the average clearance time of this virus, Farpiravir really has a good effect on novel coronavirus.
For Farpiravir, we need to know these three points for attention.
Does this clinical trial result mean the clinical use of Famiravir in the treatment of novel coronavirus infection? Specific medicine? So what?
I really can't say that. As for the drug Famiravir, we can see that although there are preliminary clinical research results, the number of clinical samples is very small. Only 35 patients have tried this medicine. Although a faster and better virus removal effect has been determined in the process of use, whether this data will be better or further revised in the process of large-scale use needs more clinical application data to prove. Based on the results of such clinical trials, we can only say that at first, the drug has a certain inhibitory effect on novel coronavirus.
In addition, it should be noted that the news conference also pointed out that this drug Famiravir is a good medicine for patients with mild infection in COVID-19, which blocked the transition from ordinary patients to severe patients. But once it develops into a serious disease, the role of Famila Wei is not so great. So, for the results of this clinical trial, which patients are more suitable or more selective when applied to anti-COVID-19? How to identify COVID-19-infected people as early as possible and how to use drugs in time at mild stage will be an important aspect to ensure the curative effect of famiravir.
At the news conference, it was also pointed out that COVID-19's clinical study found no obvious adverse reactions. I especially disagree with this statement. The risk of adverse drug reactions is always worthy of attention. The dosage used in anti-COVID-19 therapy is twice as high as the conventional dosage. It is premature to draw the conclusion that there are no obvious adverse reactions based on these 35 clinical cases. Farpiravir is taking it. It may lead to the risk of adverse reactions such as elevated blood uric acid, diarrhea and elevated transaminase. In Japan, there are also cases of mental and behavioral abnormalities after taking Farpiravir. These potential risks of adverse reactions deserve attention and should be monitored in future clinical applications.
Therefore, according to the current clinical research results, the drug Farpiravir shows a certain anti-COVID-19 effect, but from the three aspects of further clinical application effect, patient selection and medication safety, we should pay more attention to further confirming the effectiveness of the drug on the premise of ensuring medication safety, which is the correct way for a drug to be used in clinic for a long time.