Kuwait to take delivery of Avigan next week

Kuwait will take delivery of the first shipment of Favipiravir, an anti-viral medication sold under the brand name Avigan, from Japan next week, the Health Ministry said Friday.

Avigan is an antiviral drug under development by Toyama Chemical (Fujifilm group) of Japan. This anti-viral medication remains an attractive prospect in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, amid hopes the antiviral drug could help treat infections.

The medication donated by the Japanese government with support from the UN comes after clinical trials on several slight and medium cases of the coronavirus cases have shown promising results, according to a health official.

“This first shipment of the medication comes as part of assistance for emergency response and humanitarian purposes. It has no commercial aspect from the Japanese government,” Dr Abdullah Al Badr, the Kuwaiti Health Ministry’s assistant undersecretary for medication affairs, told Kuwaiti news agency KUNA.