Favipiravir use for SARS CoV-2 infection
- PDF / 660,758 Bytes
- 11 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 40 Downloads / 179 Views
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Favipiravir use for SARS CoV‑2 infection Alberto Boretti1 Received: 14 September 2020 / Revised: 8 October 2020 / Accepted: 14 October 2020 © Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences 2020
Abstract Introduction The pandemic of SARS CoV-2 has required urgent medical treatments for numerous patients. As no specific antiviral agents were available, different off-the-shelf alternatives have been explored. Objective Here, we review the rationale behind the use of Favipiravir, and report of the specific studies supporting this treatment being conducted. Methods Here we analyze the relevant literature to conclude about the present opportunities offered by this therapeutic agent. Results This antiviral drug approved influenza in Japan since 2014, has a demonstrated in vitro activity against SARS CoV-2 and is being investigated in several trials for SARS CoV-2. Signals of benefit were shown in a small trial for SARS CoV-2. However, in another small study, there was no advantage. Conclusions Further studies, statistically more significant, are urgently needed to understand the best opportunities offered by this treatment. Keywords SARS CoV-2 · Favipiravir · Human trials · Animal studies · Laboratory experiments
Introduction Initial estimations of the SARS CoV-2 mortality rate were extremely large, at about 1% of the infected in the simulations of [1]. Then [2], that first investigated the number of those with SARS CoV-2 antibodies in the supposed to be unaffected population, demonstrated the existence of a significant amount of people asymptomatic or mild. Thus, the revised SARS CoV-2 mortality rate is about 0.12–0.20%. The daily peak fatality rates for the United Kingdom, predicted by [1] were 210. The measured peak fatality rate for the United Kingdom (7-days rolling averages) has been less than 14. Countries that enforced less severe restrictions such as Sweden or the Netherlands did better at below 10 than countries such as the United Kingdom that had 14 or Belgium that had 30 [3]. For Saudi Arabia, the fatality rate (percentage of deaths in closed cases) is 0.83% (549 over 66,339, as per the data updated June 3) [4]. The above 0.83% is not the infection fatality rate, which is the number of deaths from the SARS * Alberto Boretti [email protected] 1
Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, PO Box 1664, Al Khobar 31952, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
CoV-2 disease divided by the total number of cases of SARS CoV-2, but only the fatality rate in medium-tosevere cases requiring medical attention. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), their data to early March were already suggesting that 80% of the infections were mild or asymptomatic, 15% were severe infection, requiring oxygen and 5% were critical infections, requiring ventilation [5]. By taking 20% of the 0.83% fatality rate in closed cases between the medium-to-severe SARS CoV-2 cases, the fatality rate of Saudi Arabia is, therefore, 0.166% [4], within the range indicated by [2]. As a reference, the death ra
Data Loading...
