T 705

Favipiravir is a novel viral RNA polymerase inhibitor, it is phosphoribosylated by cellular enzymes to its active form, Favipiravir-ribofuranosyl-5′-triphosphate (RTP). Favipiravir-RTP inhibits the influenza viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) activity with IC50 of 341 nM.
Favipiravir is a member of the class of pyrazines that is pyrazine substituted by aminocarbonyl, hydroxy and fluoro groups at positions 2, 3 and 6, respectively. It is an anti-viral agent that inhibits RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of several RNA viruses and is approved for the treatment of influenza in Japan. It has a role as an antiviral drug, an anticoronaviral agent and an EC 2.7.7.48 (RNA-directed RNA polymerase) inhibitor. It is a primary carboxamide, a hydroxypyrazine and an organofluorine compound.|Discovered by Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd. in Japan, favipiravir is a modified pyrazine analog that was initially approved for therapeutic use in resistant cases of influenza. The antiviral targets RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzymes, which are necessary for the transcription and replication of viral genomes. Not only does favipiravir inhibit replication of influenza A and B, but the drug has shown promise in the treatment of avian influenza, and may be an alternative option for influenza strains that are resistant to neuramidase inhibitors. Favipiravir has been investigated for the treatment of life-threatening pathogens such as Ebola virus, Lassa virus, and now COVID-19.|Favipiravir is a pyrazinecarboxamide derivative with activity against RNA viruses. Favipiravir is converted to the ribofuranosyltriphosphate derivative by host enzymes and selectively inhibits the influenza viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.