Respiratory Viral Diseases Program
Viriom has a robust respiratory viral diseases program, which includes treatments for Seasonal Influenza and Coronavirus disease. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. According to the WHO statistics, by the end of 2021 there were over 250 million infections globally and over 5 million deaths. Viriom supports the development of antiviral drugs for respiratory viruses, RNA polymerase and protease inhibitors for COVID19.
Viriom has successfully launched the first Favipiravir-based drug in the world approved for the treatment of coronavirus. Favipiravir accelerates virus clearance and slows disease progression, while maintaining an excellent safety profile.
Seasonal influenza reoccurs due to natural virus variation and has a substantial epidemic and pandemic potential. Current vaccine coverage is incomplete due to non-compliance or mismatch to seasonal outbreaks. Viriom has developed a one-time oral drug capable of suppressing most known strains of influenza and is currently testing new drug combinations which will improve treatment outcomes, while avoiding drug-resistance.
SARS-CoV-2
• Pandemic respiratory virus disease with high death rate
• Insufficient use of vaccines and poor vaccine durability allow the virus to remain uncontrolled and in the pandemic state
• Antiviral drugs entering the market are re-purposed drugs with limited indications and strong safety warnings
• The global market for SARS-CoV-2 therapy may exceed $30B annually
• Favipiravir is Viriom’s commercial oral medication for COVID19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2
• Favipiravir accelerates virus clearance and reduces the need for hospitalization
• Favipiravir is entering the US drug approval process
• Combination therapies including Favipiravir are coming soon from Viriom and its partner companies
Influenza
• 1 billion influenza cases per year with 3-5 million severe cases and 300,000 to 650,000 deaths globally
• A WHO study concluded that an important goal for the global response to influenza is to “promote the development of more effective influenza treatment including antiviral drugs”
• Antiviral drugs must be safe, effective against many strains of influenza (including seasonal and pandemic), and affordable
• Viriom is developing new influenza drugs for potent and broad virus suppression
• Viriom drug combinations will overcome the challenges of drug-resistance
Favipiravir, remdesivir and molnupiravir are currently the leading directly acting antiviral drugs against COVID-19 globally. Viriom's Avifavir received emergency use authorization from 4 EAEU countries in 2020, becoming the world's first favipiravir-based drug approved for the treatment of COVID-19. It obtained full market authorization in November 2020.
The efficacy and safety of Avifavir was statistically significantly demonstrated in two Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials in 460 medium severe and severely ill COVID-19 patients conducted between April and October 2020. Avifavir has demonstrated high efficiency in the complex treatment of patients taken to hospital with a new coronavirus infection with median elimination of the virus taking 4 days compared to 9 days with standard therapy. While maintaining a favorable safety profile, Avifavir's efficacy was shown to be above 80% the criterion for a drug with high antiviral activity.
Multiple regional bridging studies have since been completed and others are ongoing in Latin America and Central and South East Asia and the Middle East.
In the last year, Avifavir has been delivered to over 1,000,000 patients in 17 countries. Avifavir is being submitted for rolling review in EMA and a submission is planned with the US FDA, EMA&NHS SO & SwissMedic.
Learn more about Viriom's Respiratory programs and its robust blood-borne viral diseases program.