Iran makes its own version of Favipiravir drug to cure coronavirus patients

The head of Iran's Masih Daneshvari Hospital Ali Akbar Velayati said that for the first time in Iran, the Favipiravir drug is being manufactured at the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical science, Trend reports via Fars News Agency.

Velayati said that the examples of the drug are being supplied to the Masih Daneshvari Hospital, to treat the coronavirus-affected patients.

"Masih Daneshvari Hospital, along with all its medical staff and personnel, stood by the people from the earliest hours,” Velaiati said, who himself recovered after being infected with coronavirus.

He expressed hope that the coronavirus will be defeated soon.

Velayati emphasized that the Masih Daneshvari Hospital does not receive any money for the treatment of coronavirus patients and serves the honorable people with all its facilities.

"From the beginning and in full coordination with the Ministry of Health, appropriate measures were taken,” he added.

Favipiravir was developed by Japan's Toyama Chemical, a subsidiary of Fujifilm, and was approved for use in Japan in 2014, against viral strains which are unresponsive to current anti-viral treatments.

In mid-March, the National Medical Products Administration of China approved the first-ever use of Favipiravir on coronavirus patients. On March 18, Zhang Xinmin, an official at China’s science and technology ministry, said Favipiravir had produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials in Wuhan and Shenzhen involving 340 patients.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

Iran continues to apply strict measures to contain the further infection spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.

The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.