India's Glenmark to Test Favipiravir-Umifenovir Combination Therapy for COVID-19, an Industrial Info Market Brief

Indian pharma major, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited, said it will carry out a clinical trial in India to assess the combined efficacy of two antiviral drugs - Favipiravir and Umifenovir, as a potential COVID-19 treatment strategy. Glenmark has secured regulatory approval in India for the study, which aims to enroll 158 hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 symptoms. According to the company, the two antivirals, with different mechanisms of action, could complement and enhance efficacy. Favipiravir was launched as an anti-flu drug in 2014 by Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corporation under the brand name Avigan, while Umifenovir is sold under the brand name Arbidol as an antiviral treatment for influenza infection in Russia and China. Industrial Info is tracking six Glenmark projects in India worth $33.15 million.