Zydus Cadila's 'Virafin' gets DCGI nod for emergency use to treat COVID-19 patients

To speed up the treatment of coronavirus patients, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on Friday approved the emergency use of Zydus Cadila's drug 'Virafin'. The drug can be used for treating moderate COVID-19 infections in patients above 18 years of age.

The company has said that 91.15 per cent of patients treated with the drug were RT-PCR negative by day seven. The treatment significantly reduces the hours for supplemental oxygen in coronavirus patients.

In a regulatory filing, the company said that a single-dose subcutaneous regimen of the antiviral drug will make the treatment more convenient for the patients. When administered early on during COVID-19, Virafin will help patients recover faster and avoid much of the complications. It will be available on the prescription of medical specialist for use in hospital/institutional setup.

A release by Cadila Health said that Virafin has also shown efficacy against other viral infections.

Speaking on the development, Dr Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Cadila Healthcare Limited said, "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."

The government's approval for use of the antiviral drug comes at a time when India's daily COVID tally is crossing the 3-lakh mark. 

India recorded 3,32,730 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since the pandemic broke out last year.