(Eagle News) — Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev said that a leading Russian pharmaceutical company will donate medicines which have been reportedly effective in treating the coronavirus disease in patients in Russia and China.
The Ambassador told reporters during his visit to Cebu City on Wesnesday, March 11, that Polysan Scientific & Technological Pharmaceutical Company, a Russian manufacturer of original drugs will donate the drug Cycloferon as a “helping hand to our Filipino partners.”
This medicine had been used in treating COVID-19 patients in Russia and China, aiding in their recovery.
Ambassador Khovaev said that Polysan is “ready to supply a highly efficient Russian medicine for treating patients infected by the coronavirus.”
“It’s largely used in China, and the results are very, very encouraging,” he said.
“It’s not a trade deal. It is a donation, a helping hand to our Filipino partners,” the Ambassador said.
This drug manufactured by Polysan, Cycloferan, is described by the pharmaceutical company as “the universal antiviral preparation with direct antiviral, immunocorrecting, and anti-inflammatory activity.”
“Cycloferon reinforces the body nonspecific resistance to viral and bacterial infections,” it said.
Polysan, which was established in 1992 by a small creative team of scientists and business people, is now one of the leading Russian pharmaceutical enterprises.
It has developed into a modern pharmaceutical company with its own high-tech production and research and development facilities, the company’s profile said.
It said that its main priority is to “create innovative original pharmaceutical products of high therapeutic efficacy.”
“Currently Polysan is funding large number of scientific research and is targeting the medication for socially significant diseases,” it added.
-Russia, always ready to help the PHL, says Ambassador
Ambassador Khovaev also told Cebu reporters that the Russian government is always ready to help the Philippines.
He said that the Russian government and the Russian people are also “committed to close cooperation with our Filipino partners in the security and defense field to help the Philippines.”
He described the Philippines as a “very important partner for us in the Asia Pacific region.”
As of the latest count, there are more than 126,000 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world. It has spread in 114 countries, according to the virus dashboard of the John Hopkins University.
Interestingly, those who had recovered from the disease globally are also increasing. As of the latest count, 68,216 patients recovered around the world, which is more than half of the total cases.
The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) earlier said that more than 80 percent of COVID-19 cases are mild, and only less than five percent are considered serious cases.
To date, the Philippines has 49 confirmed COVID-19 cases.