Shionogi Reports Promising Results on Its COVID-19 Drug Candidate
Shionogi said that its investigational COVID-19 treatment ensitrelvir fumaric acid has shown promising results in a phase 3 clinical trial.
The investigational drug is a 3CL protease inhibitor — the main protease found in coronaviruses — being evaluated as a potential antiviral treatment for COVID-19 infection.
Study results demonstrated that the drug candidate significantly reduced the time to resolution of five COVID-19 symptoms compared with placebo. The five symptoms were stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, cough, feeling hot or feverish and low energy or tiredness.
The study was conducted in Asia. The investigational treatment hasn’t been authorized or approved anywhere in the world.
About Shionogi
Shionogi & Company, Limited is a Japanese pharmaceutical company best known for developing Crestor. Among the medicines produced are for hyperlipidaemia, antibiotics, and cancer medicines. In Japan it is particularly known as a producer of antimicrobial and antibiotics. It has teamed up with US based Schering-Plough (merged in 2009 with Merck & Co) to become a sole marketing agent for its products in Japan. Shionogi had supported the initial formation of Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, a generic manufacturer based in India. In 2012 the company became a partial owner of ViiV Healthcare, a pharmaceutical company specialising in the development of therapies for HIV. The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Osaka Securities Exchange.
September 29, 2022
