Zydus Cadila has received restricted emergency use approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for the use of ‘Virafin’, Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b (PegIFN) in treating moderate COVID-19 infection in adults. A single dose subcutaneous regimen of the antiviral Virafin will make the treatment more convenient for the patients. When administered early on during COVID, Virafin will help patients recover faster and avoid much of the complications. Virafin will be available on the prescription of medical specialist for use in hospital/institutional setup.
In the multicentric trial conducted in 20-25 centers across India, Virafin had shown lesser need for supplemental oxygen, clearly indicating that it was able to control respiratory distress and failure which has been one of the major challenges in treating COVID-19. The drug has also shown efficacy against other viral infections.
Cadila Healthcare is an India-based pharmaceutical company. The company's subsidiaries include Zydus Wellness, Liva Pharmaceuticals, Biochem Pharmaceutical Industries, Zydus Technologies, German Remedies, Dialforhealth India, Dialforhealth Unity and Dialforhealth Greencross, among others.
