BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BCRX) operates under an extraordinary culture; that of innovative thinking to achieve key objectives. Its focus is on delivering advanced and novel medicines to patients with rare and serious diseases. RAPIVAB® (peramivir injection) is one of the man candidates in the company portfolio. Antiviral influenza therapy is approved in the United States and is commonly used in patients 2 years and older to treat uncomplicated acute influenza.
Today, the company has confirmed the government’s option of purchasing an additional 10,000 doses of RAPIVAB at the cost of $7 million. The purchase aims to ensure that the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) has enough medical supplies in case of a public health emergency.
The Rising Concern of Having a Well Prepared Healthcare System in General
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic caught the world by surprise and unprepared. The pharmaceutical industry also panicked, given that it could not immediately identify a vaccine to stop the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Up to date, there is no known cure even though there are hundreds of clinical trials underway.
Following the increasing anxiety over the pandemic, BioCryst, Jon Stonehouse, has emphasized the need for having prepared healthcare systems to promptly handle emergencies. He said, ”… amid the COVID-19 pandemic…we appreciate the opportunity to deliver more RAPIVAB to the SNS to hold as a supplement for public health authorities and healthcare facilities that might need it at this critical time.”
BioCryst has Several Ongoing Development Programs
RAPIVAB has massive proven benefits for influenza patients. Its efficacy is based on clinical trials of naturally occurring infections. More often than not, infections from influenza A virus are more predominant in patients than infections from the influenza B virus. The antiviral drug is administered at recommended doses of 600 mg/kg for adults and 12 mg/kg for adolescents and pediatric patients ages 2 to 12.
It is worth mentioning that BioCryst has several development programs going on, including BCX9930, ORLADEYO™ (berotralstat), and BCX9250. All of these have different roles. Meanwhile, apart from being available in the US, RAPIVAB has also received regulatory approval in Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and Canada.
