Chen confirmed the request, and said that the drug — which is not yet licensed or approved in any nation — still requires government approval before it could be used. On Friday last week, Gilead said it was working with Chinese authorities to test the drug on coronavirus patients. Some doctors have reported that remdesivir was beneficial in treating the related coronavirus Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) during a 2015 outbreak in South Korea, Chang said. Doctors are treating the pneumonia patients with supportive care, which includes using supplemental oxygen to reduce breathing difficulties, Chang said. As doctors have yet to find any drugs that are highly effective in treating the coronavirus, Chang said none of the patients have been treated with other antiviral medications.

Source: Taipei Times February 07, 2020 15:56 UTC