A review of the safety of favipiravir – a potential treatment in the COVID-19 pandemic?

摘要

An observational study carried out in Shenzhen in February 2020 showed a significantly faster mean time to viral clearance of favipiravir than lopinavir/ritonavir [4 days 11 days ( <0.001)] . These results were supported by an early Chinese randomised clinical trial (RCT), where favipiravir treatment led to a significantly greater recovery rate in non-critical COVID-19 patients than umefenovir (71.4% 55.9% [ <0.05]) . Although neither were effective in boosting recovery rate for critically ill patients in this same trial [5.6% 0.0% (  = n.s.)] , these early results have led to further trials being instigated in China and Italy.