Pharma company Zydus Cadila today received restricted emergency use approval from India’s drug regulator for the use of Virafin, Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b (PegIFN) in treating moderate coronavirus infection in adults.

When administered early on during COVID-19, Virafin will help patients recover faster and avoid much of the complications, the company said in a statement.

Virafin will be available on the prescription of medical specialist for use in hospital setup.

“A single dose subcutaneous regimen of the antiviral Virafin will make the treatment more convenient for the patients,” the company said.

A multicentric trial was conducted in 20-25 centers across India, Virafin had shown lesser need for supplemental oxygen, indicating that it managed to control respiratory distress and failure which has been one of the major challenges in treating the coronavirus.

“The drug has also shown efficacy against other viral infections,” the company further said.

“The fact that we are able to offer a therapy which significantly reduces viral load when given early on can help in better disease management. It comes at a much-needed time for patients and we will continue to provide them access to critical therapies in this battle against COVID-19,” Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Cadila Healthcare Limited said.