Fujifilm Drug Avigan (Favipiravir) For COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Treatment Tested Worldwide (USA included) and Offered for Free to 20 Countries

Last month we reported how Zhang Xinmin, director of the science ministry’s China National Center for Biotechnology Development, said that the Fujifilm produced drug Avigan “has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment” and how a Japanese health ministry source suggested the drug was not as effective in people with more severe symptom.

A few days later, Fujifilm published another official statement, where they announce the start of phase III clinical trial of “Avigan” on COVID-19 Coronavirus and the commitment to increase production.

Avigan is currently tested all over the world, including here in Italy, where I live. But also in USA and many other countries.

Moreover, Japan plans to provide the anti-flu drug Avigan for free to 20 countries hoping to use it to treat coronavirus patients, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Tuesday.

As a consequence, Fujifilm ramped up production of flu drug Avigan as possible COVID-19 treatment.

Fujifilm or not, let’s hope some cure comes up soon, or this unreal situation will keep up for a long time.

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via japantimes via fiercepharma via nypost

Peak Design Travel Tripod Now Shipping with Enhanced Final Design and 100% of Launch Profits Go to Battle COVID-19 and Climate Change

Peak Design is now shipping their Peak Design Travel Tripod, which raised 12 million dollar on kickstarter.

Based on the feedback from media partners and the Kickstarter community, they enhanced the final design. Revisions include:

  • Newly designed hex tool key with included leg clip holder
  • Updated padded, weatherproof carry bag with easier access
  • Ultralight conversion kit to turn the Travel Tripod into an ultralight, table top tripod
  • aluminum center column for the carbon fiber tripod for a significant improvement in resisting lateral twist, less vertical slip and higher max load for the counterweight hook

Funds generated in the first 4 launch days will be donated to the ​CDC Foundation​ to support their efforts on the front-lines of COVID-19 response, and to ​Climate Neutral​, an organization that helps businesses from all industries verifiably achieve carbon neutrality.

Fujifilm’s New Coronavirus Test can Produce Results in 2 Hours

Fujifilm announced that they developed a new fast test for Coronavirus. The New York Times writes:

The SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR Detection kit will be able to deliver results for the virus that causes COVID-19 faster than existing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which presently take four to six hours, the company said.

Fujifilm said the new COVID-19 test will be released on April 15 in their press release (machine translated PDF)

I live here in Italy, and here there is a lot of talk about the urgent need for a fast, simple and affordable test to diagnose COVID-19. Many companies are working on it and I am happy to see Fujifilm is on it, too.

  • read here – Fujifilm Manager Explains Impact and Challenges of Covid-19
  • read here – FUJIFILM Starts Phase III Clinical Trial of Antiviral drug “Avigan” on COVID-19 and Commits to Increasing Production
  • read here – Fujifilm Releases Information of Avigan Tablet in Relation to Covid-19 Coronavirus
  • read here – China Says FUJIFILM Drug Avigan Works Against Coronavirus COVID-19 and Shares Jump up 15%

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via the New York Times