A subcommittee of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has decided to continue deliberations on whether to approve the antiviral drug Avigan as a treatment for the novel coronavirus, saying a decision cannot be made at this time.
The drug has been expected to become the third COVID-19 treatment available in Japan, but Monday's decision by the subcommittee of the ministry's Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Sanitation Council made the timing of its approval uncertain.
Avigan was developed by Tokyo-based Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co. The company applied to the ministry for approval in October with clinical trial results purported to show that the drug was effective in shortening the time it takes for coronavirus symptoms to improve.
However, a number of members at the subcommittee meeting said it was difficult to confirm the effectiveness of the drug based on the existing results of the clinical trials.
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