Ahmedabad: Promising pill for co-morbid patients

AHMEDABAD: A clinical trial in Ahmedabad of the anti-viral drug Favipiravir has shown “promising results” in treating Covid-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms. Researchers said on Tuesday that the drug is especially beneficial for high-risk patients with co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Co-morbidities have been a major factor in the high Covid death rate in Gujarat. More than 80% of patients who have succumbed to Covid in the state had one or multiple co-morbidities. It is estimated that a similar percentage of patients in Ahmedabad district who died had co-morbidities. The district is one of the worst affected in Gujarat, having recorded 1,363 deaths and 19,386 cases so far.

HCG Hospital, a designated private facility for Covid treatment, was the first to begin the Phase-3 clinical trial of Favipiravir. It began after the onset of the pandemic in the state, said regional director of HCG Dr Bharat Gadhvi. He said that Dr Urman Dhruv was the principal investigator in the trial.
“The clinical trial is over and results are being collated from across centres,” said Dr Dhruv. “The drug proved very promising as all patients enrolled in the trial recovered. The drug, taken orally, reduces viral load significantly.”
Dr Dhruv said that it is too early to term the drug a game changer in the battle against Covid.
“However, it is an important weapon in our hands to treat patients with mild to moderate symptoms,” said Dr Dhruv. “It is especially promising for patients with co-morbidities. We found that they tested negative for the virus on day five or six of treatment.”
On the basis of the clinical trial it can be said that the drug helps treat high-risk patients, Dr Dhruv said. “They include those above 60, those with one or more co-morbidities, or those with high viral loads,” he said.