"There has so far been no coronavirus medicine available here so it is a significant step for us to approve this drug," a Japanese health ministry official said at a press briefing. Remdesivir will be given to patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms, he added. With no other approved treatments for COVID-19, interest in the drug is growing around the world. Japan as yet does not know when it will get its first doses of remdesivir or how much, the health ministry official said. Gilead on Tuesday said it was in discussion with several companies, including generic drugmakers in India and Pakistan to produce remdesivir in large quantities.

Source: bd News24 May 07, 2020 16:21 UTC