In the global hunt for coronavirus treatments, a Japanese antiviral medicine known as Avigan has won plaudits from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and $128 million in government funding.
But it's not the only game in town.
Camostat, a 35-year old pancreatitis drug made by Osaka-based Ono Pharmaceutical Co <4528.T>, has captured the interest of scientists in Japan and overseas with little fanfare or state assistance.
The two compounds are among dozens undergoing testing around the globe and illustrate how the race to develop treatments and vaccines is still wide open despite politicians such as Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump promoting the potential benefits of certain drugs.
Gilead Science Inc's remdesivir has pulled into the lead after promising early trial results prompted emergency approval in the United States and Japan. While remdesivir has shown promise in reducing recovery times of hospitalised patients, the search continues for additional treatment options.
Interest in Avigan soared in March after a Chinese official said that it appeared to help patients recover from COVID-19, the flu-like infection caused by the coronavirus. It is now the subject of at least 14 clinical trials. Amidst a global rout in stocks, shares in Fujifilm have shot to record highs.
Abe has called for Avigan to be approved for use by the end of this month if these trials are effective – unprecedented speed, particularly for a drug known to cause birth defects.
Abe's administration has pledged to give away free supplies of the drug, with some 43 countries making formal requests. Fujifilm chairman Shigetaka Komori is a longtime backer of Abe, though the cabinet has denied there is any connection between their relationship and the government's promotion of Avigan.
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