BackZydus gets DCGI nod for hepatitis drug to treat covid
The drug was originally used in treatment against hepatitis B and C, and is administered in a single dose subcutaneous regimen
PremiumNEW DELHI: Zydus Cadila on Friday said that it has received restricted emergency use approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)V.G. Somani for the use of ‘Virafin’, a pegylated interferon alpha-2b, to treat moderate covid-19 infection in adults. It was originally used in treating Hepatitis B and C, and is administered in a single dose subcutaneous regimen.
When administered early in treating covid patients, Virafin can help faster recovery and avoid much of the complications, the company said. It will be available on the prescription of a medical specialist for use in a hospital and institutional setups, it added.
“The fact that we are able to offer a therapy which significantly reduces viral load when given early on can help in better disease management. It comes at a much-needed time for patients and we will continue to provide them access to critical therapies in this battle against covid-19," Zydus Cadila managing director Sharvil Patel said.
Earlier this month, Zydus had sought authorization from the DCGI for the additional indication of hepatitis drug for treating covid-19. It had provided data from its phase 3 clinical trials across 20-25 centers in India, which showed that 91.15% of patients treated with Virafin were RT-PCR negative by the seventh day, as compared to 78.9% for standard care.
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