Shionogi Pharmaceutical [PTS surge] COVID-19 oral antiviral early approval application to proceed!!

Shionogi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has advanced its domestically produced treatment for the novel coronavirus toward practical use. On the afternoon of February 7, President Izumi Tsunoda Kō (note: actual name in Japanese is Tsunoda Kō) of Shionogi Pharmaceutical gave the following remarks regarding the oral drug currently under development for COVID-19, expressing high expectations for its effectiveness. 　(Shionogi Pharmaceutical, President Kō Tsunoda) 　「We are currently sensing a very good sign. If this data can be reproduced once more, there is a very high possibility that this could become an excellent drug.」 　Shionogi Pharmaceutical conducted clinical trials on 69 domestic patients with mild to moderate illness. Compared with a placebo, among those who took the oral medicine, virus levels in the body decreased in 60% to 80% of patients. Currently, similar trials are being carried out on more than 400 patients, and after compiling the results, they plan to submit for government approval within February. 　Meanwhile, on February 7, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed the intention to allow practical use of domestically produced oral drugs before the completion of clinical trials.