In China, the treatment of the patients of COVID-19 with a Japan-made flue drug favipiravir has been effective, according to an official of the Chinese Science and Technology Ministry, as reported by The Guardian.

Zhang Xinmin, an official at China’s science and technology ministry, stated that favipiravir, developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, had produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials in the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Shenzhen involving 340 patients, The Guardian reports.

«It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment,»

Zhang said to reporters on Tuesday, March 17.

Patients, who were given the medicine in Shenzhen turned negative for the virus after a median of four days after becoming positive, as compared with a median of 11 days for patients, who were not treated with the drug, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, which developed the drug – also known as Avigan – in 2014, has declined to comment on the claims, but a Japanese Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry source suggested the drug was not as effective in people with more severe symptoms, The Guardian reports.