Aroma İlaç Wins First Prize at 9th Chemistry R&D Project Market

Aroma İlaç, a subsidiary of Polifarma, a domestic and national pharmaceutical company producing in Turkey's healthcare sector for 34 years, won first place in the "Pharmaceuticals" category at the 9th Chemistry R&D Project Market Event with its project on developing the world's first stable oral solution formulation of Favipiravir with high efficacy against coronavirus. At the 9th Chemistry R&D Project Market Event, organized by the Istanbul Chemical Substances and Products Exporters Association (İKMİB) under the approval of the Ministry of Commerce, awards were presented to their recipients. Aroma İlaç, operating within 100% domestically-capitalized Polifarma İlaç, was deemed worthy of first place in the "Pharmaceuticals" category for its R&D work on "Developing the World's First Stable Oral Solution Formulation of Favipiravir with High Efficacy Against Coronavirus." Aroma İlaç has manufactured a product in oral solution formulation, a world first for treating Covid-19. Working in collaboration with TUBITAK for this project, Aroma İlaç has produced two different treatment courses—both the tablet formulation of Favipiravir and an oral solution formulation. Patent applications have been filed for the drug, which can be used in both advanced and mild cases, in both Turkey and worldwide, and the licensing process is ongoing.

Oral solution formulation addresses usage difficulties

The fact that all medications used for treating Covid-19 disease are in tablet or capsule form creates effective usage problems in patients experiencing sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and severe cough symptoms. Additionally, the use of Covid-19 tablet formulation—8 tablets in the morning and evening on the first day, then 3 tablets on subsequent days—can lead to incorrect usage by patients and creates usage difficulties. The tablet formulation of the drug is applied worldwide in intensive care and intubated patients: out of necessity, it is converted to powder form in the hospital setting and mixed with an appropriate amount of liquid, then injected into the patient's stomach through intubation tubes. Aroma İlaç's developed Oral Solution Formulation allows children, elderly patients, intubated patients, and all patients experiencing difficulty swallowing who face challenges with tablet use to simply add water to the powder product and consume it in just a few sips.