The UK has received doses of antiviral medicine favipiravir as a precaution in case hantavirus spreads in the country.
The medicine, developed by Fujifilm subsidiary Toyama Chemical in Japan, has been designed to treat influenza, but could potentially be used to fight other viruses. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it accepted delivery of the medicine last weekend from the Japanese government.
Neither party disclosed the volume of doses delivered nor any financial transactions tied to the delivery.
Health minister Sharon Hodgson said: “I would like to thank our counterparts in Japan for their supply of these vital medicines, which will support our preparedness and ongoing response to hantavirus.”
The hantavirus outbreak started in early May when several patients fell ill on a luxury cruise ship. Three people died as a result of infection with the virus, which is usually spread by rodents but can be transmitted between people in rare cases. As per an update on 17 May, UKHSA confirmed that nine asymptomatic contacts had arrived in the UK.
The risk of wider transmission of hantavirus in the UK remains very low, but the UKHSA said securing a supply of favipiravir is an “important part of preparedness and defence against the outbreak”.
In 2014, favipiravir was approved in Japan for influenza treatment. Marketed under the brand name Avigan, it is not routinely prescribed, instead representing an important stockpiling option for pandemics. Due to its RNA polymerase inhibition, it was thought that the drug could have an antiviral effect on Covid-19. However, clinical trials demonstrated a lack of efficacy. In the case of hantavirus, no studies in humans with the medication have been conducted, meaning its use would be off-label. Favipiravir is not licensed by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
There are no vaccines or therapies specifically approved for hantavirus. According to GlobalData, the hantavirus outbreak is a reminder of the need for greater investment in novel antivirals.
Anaelle Tannen, infectious disease analyst at GlobalData, commented: “We are seeing increased transmission and burden of infectious diseases because of climate change, and other factors such as globalisation. This is especially worrying as there is a lack of novel antiviral therapies to treat these conditions, and current antimicrobials are increasingly becoming ineffective due to growing resistance.”
GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology.
