Gilead Sciences' remdesivir approved as COVID-19 drug
By Team Newsable | First Published May 8, 2020, 12:50 PM ISTJapan and the United States are the only countries to authorise use of remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19
On Thursday, Japan approved Gilead Sciences Inc’s remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19. It is also to be noted that this is the first drug officially authorised by the country.
A health, labour and welfare ministry official said, "Remdesivir was approved under exceptional measures."
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This makes Japan the second country to approve the drug after the US.
Remdesivir will be given to patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms, according to Reuters.
The NIAID trial suggested that remdesivir helped patients with serious breathing issues and require oxygen support to recover faster.
On Monday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe extended a month-long state of emergency until the end of May in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.
On Tuesday, the Japanese government announced 120 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest number of new infections since April. The country has reported over 15,000 cases, almost 4,500 recoveries and 550-plus deaths.
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