Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato said Tuesday the government will effectively abandon its plan to approve Avigan, a drug targeting influenza, by the end of this month.
Avigan was expected to be approved this month to treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus.
"Clinical research and trials will continue from next month on, and pharmaceutical approval will be granted as soon as its efficacy is confirmed," Kato said at a press conference.
Avigan was developed by Tokyo-based Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co. It is being put through clinical tests and research in Japan to confirm its effectiveness against the novel coronavirus.
At present, no results have been obtained that enable a judgment regarding the drug's effectiveness.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
