|
 Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference that
Japan has received inquiries from some countries on the influenza
drug favipiravir, or T-705 as it is known in the developmental code.
"I am informed that medical professionals could make a request for
T-705 in an emergency even before a decision (on approval) by the
WHO. In that case, we would like to respond under certain criteria,"
he said.
Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp and U.S. partner MediVector are in
talks with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to submit an
application to expand the use of favipiravir as a treatment for
Ebola.
Following Suga's comments, Fujifilm shares rose 4.0 percent, edging
near a four-year peak hit earlier this month. They were the eighth
most actively traded shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's main
board.
The Ebola epidemic in West Africa has killed more than 1,000 people
and prompted the WHO to declare an international health emergency.
[to top of second column] |
(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko and Tomo Uetake; Editing by Chris
Gallagher and Jeremy Laurence)
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