Favipiravir (6‐Fluoro‐3‐hydroxy‐2‐pyrazinecarboxamide) a Broad Spectrum Inhibitor of Viral RNA Polymerase in COVID‐19 Treatment

Abstract

AbstractA pandemic disease, COVID‐19, affecting over 253 million and 5.1 million deaths reported as on November 2021 from across the globe. The worst hit pandemic since a century. Scientists around the world are working towards the development of drugs for its treatment. Several existing antiviral medications have been tried for the same. Among these, Favipiravir, a broad‐spectrum antiviral drug originally developed to treat influenza, shows noted activity against an ample range of RNA viruses. It is an oral antiviral drug with good bioavailability found to be effective in the treatment of COVID‐19. This drug has acquired FDA manifestation for drug‐resistant Influenza as it has confirmed its safety profile. There has been growing evidence that it helps in early viral clearance and speedy symptomatic relief against COVID‐19. This review attempts to provide synthetic methods of favipiravir, mechanism of action and its importance in the treatment of COVID‐19 and other viruses.