November 30, 2020 – Roche (Basel, Switzerland) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental New Drug Application for Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) as a treatment to prevent influenza in people age 12 and older following contact with someone with influenza (known as post-exposure prophylaxis).
Xofluza is the first single-dose influenza medicine approved for post-exposure prophylaxis.
Xofluza is already FDA-approved to treat acute uncomplicated influenza in people 12 years of age and older who have had influenza symptoms for no more than 48 hours and who are otherwise healthy or at high risk of developing influenza-related complications.
Although some of the symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza can look similar, the two illnesses are caused by different viruses. Xofluza is specifically designed to treat influenza viruses only and is not effective against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing COVID-19.