Attribution Statement: LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006-.
CASRN: 259793-96-9
Drug Levels and Effects
Summary of Use during Lactation
Favipiravir is an investigational antiviral drug in the US that is being tested for use against the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19. Information from one patient indicates that milk levels are low with a peak level at about 2 hours. One infant has reportedly been breastfed by a mother receiving favipiravir and pumping her breasts after doses with no adverse effects reported in the infant. Favipiravir has caused liver enzyme abnormalities, gastrointestinal symptoms, and serum uric acid elevations.[1,2] If favipiravir is used in a nursing mother, these parameters should be monitored in the breastfed infant.
Drug Levels
Maternal Levels. A lactating woman took a single 200 mg dose of favipiravir (Favimol, Neutec Pharmaceutical Company) and provided milk samples at 0.5, 2 and 4 hours after the dose. Milk concentrations were 0.3, 5.5 and 2.7 mg/L, respectively.[3]
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects in Breastfed Infants
A nursing mother with a positive PCR for COVID-19 was prescribed favipiravir with a loading dose of 1600 mg twice on the first day, then 600 mg every 12 hours from day 2 to day 5. She breastfed her 15-month-old COVID-19-negative infant just before each dose of the drug. She pumped and discarded her milk between doses. No symptoms were observed in the baby during drug use and no abnormalities were detected in the baby’s hematological and biochemistry tests. The infant was followed for 6 months and was fed breastmilk and complementary feeding, did not develop any symptoms.[4]
Effects on Lactation and Breastmilk
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternate Drugs to Consider
References
- 1.
- Sissoko D, Laouenan C, Folkesson E, et al. Experimental treatment with favipiravir for Ebola virus disease (the JIKI Trial): A historically controlled, single-arm proof-of-concept trial in Guinea. PLoS Med. 2016;13:e1001967. [PMC free article: PMC4773183] [PubMed: 26930627]
- 2.
- Scavone C, Brusco S, Bertini M, et al. Current pharmacological treatments for COVID-19: What's next? Br J Pharmacol. 2020;177:4813–24. [PMC free article: PMC7264618] [PubMed: 32329520]
- 3.
- Tiris G, Gazioglu I, Furton KG, et al. Fabric phase sorptive extraction combined with high performance liquid chromatography for the determination of favipiravir in human plasma and breast milk. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2022;223:115131. [PubMed: 36395627]
- 4.
- Karabayır N, Doğan Öçal O, Canbeyli G. Use of favipiravir in lactating mother with COVID-19. Turk Arch Pediatr. 2021;56:533–4. [PMC free article: PMC8849531] [PubMed: 35110126]
Substance Identification
Substance Name
Favipiravir
CAS Registry Number
259793-96-9
Disclaimer: Information presented in this database is not meant as a substitute for professional judgment. You should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. The U.S. government does not warrant or assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information on this Site.
- User and Medical Advice Disclaimer
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) - Record Format
- LactMed - Database Creation and Peer Review Process
- Fact Sheet. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed)
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) - Glossary
- LactMed Selected References
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) - About Dietary Supplements
- Breastfeeding Links
- PMCPubMed Central citations
- PubChem SubstanceRelated PubChem Substances
- PubMedLinks to PubMed
- Favipiravir and Its Structural Analogs: Antiviral Activity and Synthesis Methods.[Acta Naturae. 2022]Favipiravir and Its Structural Analogs: Antiviral Activity and Synthesis Methods.Konstantinova ID, L Andronova V, Fateev IV, Esipov RS. Acta Naturae. 2022 Apr-Jun; 14(2):16-38.
- Review Uric Acid Elevation by Favipiravir, an Antiviral Drug.[Tohoku J Exp Med. 2020]Review Uric Acid Elevation by Favipiravir, an Antiviral Drug.Mishima E, Anzai N, Miyazaki M, Abe T. Tohoku J Exp Med. 2020 Jun; 251(2):87-90.
- Review Pyrazinamide.[Drugs and Lactation Database (...]Review Pyrazinamide.. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). 2006
- Favipiravir (T-705) Protects IFNAR(-/-) Mice against Lethal Zika Virus Infection in a Sex-Dependent Manner.[Microorganisms. 2021]Favipiravir (T-705) Protects IFNAR(-/-) Mice against Lethal Zika Virus Infection in a Sex-Dependent Manner.Matz K, Emanuel J, Callison J, Gardner D, Rosenke R, Mercado-Hernandez R, Williamson BN, Feldmann H, Marzi A. Microorganisms. 2021 May 29; 9(6). Epub 2021 May 29.
- Synthesis of [(18)F]Favipiravir and Biodistribution in C3H/HeN Mice as Assessed by Positron Emission Tomography.[Sci Rep. 2019]Synthesis of [(18)F]Favipiravir and Biodistribution in C3H/HeN Mice as Assessed by Positron Emission Tomography.Bocan TM, Basuli F, Stafford RG, Brown JL, Zhang X, Duplantier AJ, Swenson RE. Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 11; 9(1):1785. Epub 2019 Feb 11.
- Favipiravir - Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®)Favipiravir - Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®)
Your browsing activity is empty.
Activity recording is turned off.
See more...