The European Commission (EC) has granted conditional approval for the use of remdesivir of the antiviral drug Gilead (GILD) in critically ill patients with COVID-19, making it the first drug authorized by the body for treatment against the virus.
Remdesivir is an antiviral medication developed for use against Ebola. It has been approved for use in COVID-19 patients by the US and the UK, among other countries, after the data suggested that it may reduce recovery time by approximately four days.
However, there is still no clinical trial data to suggest that it improves your chances of survival. It costs around £ 430 ($ 536.81) for a six dose treatment.
Stella Kyriakides, EC Commissioner for Food Safety and Health, said the EC is determined to “respond quickly whenever new treatments become available.”
“We will not leave stone unturned in our efforts to ensure efficient treatments or vaccines against coronavirus.”
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The US pharmaceutical giant Gilead explained that, according to the new EC authorization, remdesivir can be used for COVID-19 patients 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 40 kg, with pneumonia that requires supplemental oxygen.
He added that he continues with clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the drug. This includes studies of the drug in combination with anti-inflammatory drugs and in special populations, including pediatric patients.
It is also investigating the possibilities of using the drug in the early stages of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the UK said it has enough stocks of remdesivir, after the United States bought almost all of the manufacturing stocks for the next three months.
The Health Department said it had secured supplies of remdesivir in advance and that it had enough to treat every NHS patient who needs it.
It comes after the US Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) said it had secured more than 500,000 remdesivir treatment courses for American hospitals.
This represents 100% of the projected production of the US pharmaceutical firm Gilead for July (94,200 courses of treatment), 90% of production in August (174,900 courses of treatment) and 90% of production in September (232,800 courses of treatment), along with a clinic allowance. judgments.
