Healthcare solutions provider Global Response Aid (GRA) stated on Thursday that the Avigan antiviral drug has produced effective and encouraging results in a simple-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 clinical study in 156 hospitalized patients with pneumonia caused by COVID-19 conducted in Japan in partnership with Dr Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE:RDY ) and sponsorship of FujiFilm Toyama Chemical.

According to the partnership, the patients who received Avigan recovered from COVID-19 symptoms an average of 2.8 days earlier compared to the control group who did not receive the drug. A statistically significant percentage of patients in the group treated with Avigan experienced a rapid reduction in viral load.

The study monitored temperature, oxygen saturation and CT scans of patients' lungs. The time to symptom relief was assessed between the first administration of the drug (or placebo) and the time when the symptoms caused by SARS-COV-2 became undetectable. The aim of the study was to assess recovery from pneumonia and symptoms of COVID-19.

Avigan, which contains the active ingredient Favipiravir, was developed by FujiFilm Toyama Chemical. GRA, Dr Reddy's Laboratories and FujiFilm Toyama signed a global licensing agreement covering the production, marketing and distribution of Avigan.

According to the company, the results of the study study represents a breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19 and paves the way for the approval of Avigan as a treatment for COVID-19 in Japan. The drug is approved in India, Russia, Indonesia and other countries globally.