Ebola Flu Treatment from Japan

A Japanese official said that they are ready to endow with a Japanese developed anti-influenza drug potential treatment to the rapidly increasing Ebola outbreak.

Japan Secretary Chief Suga told reporters that their country can offer anti-influenza tablet favipiravir, developed by Fujifilm Holdings Corp., any time when WHO (World  Health Organization) request.

The Japanese drug developed by Toyama Chemical Co. designed to treat a re-emerging and novel influenza virus that was approved by Japanese ministry of health this March of 2014.

The spokesman of Fujifilm said that influenza and ebola viruses were the same type and with theoretically similar effects can be expected on Ebola. The said drug has also proved effective in laboratory experiments on mice.

Fujifilm has favipiravir stock good for more than 20,000 patients. The company is in communication with U.S. Drug Administration on clinical testing of the drug in treating Ebola.

Favipiravir is one of few drugs that may work on the Ebola virus. Recently, 2 Americans have been treated with the experimental drug called ZMapp, developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc in San Diego.