EU receives experimental Hantavirus treatment from Japan

The European Union on Thursday received an emergency shipment of 1,400 tablets of the experimental antiviral Favipiravir from Japan to potentially treat Hantavirus infections, the European Commission announced.

EU-Japan health cooperation

The supply was donated by Fujifilm Pharmaceuticals and facilitated by Japanese authorities alongside the EU Delegation in Tokyo, forming part of broader EU-Japan cooperation on health emergency preparedness. The tablets are being delivered to France, Spain, and the Netherlands, where they may be used for patients or in clinical trials under national protocols, according to the Commission. Although Favipiravir has not yet received approval for Hantavirus treatment or prevention, the European Medicines Agency has identified the drug as a candidate for compassionate use or clinical investigation.

Response to African outbreak

The Commission noted it has maintained contact with member states since an outbreak emerged in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to accelerate access to medical countermeasures. "Thanks to close cooperation between the EU, Member States and our Japanese partners, we were able to rapidly secure access to potentially life-saving Hantavirus treatments for European patients," EU Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said in a statement. The bloc is also launching emergency procurement procedures to secure additional doses if needed, as part of efforts to strengthen preparedness for potential additional cases in the coming weeks.

Virus transmission risks

Hantavirus is a rare disease typically transmitted through infected rodents or their droppings. The strain responsible for the current outbreak — the Andes virus — can also spread between humans through prolonged close contact, often in enclosed settings, according to health authorities.