Coronavirus Update: Rapid Japan Approval For Remdesivir, Combination With Lilly's Olumiant Is Next Hope

Other Asia R&D Progress

Plus: Chugai enters into Singapore research alliance, Korean consortium reports vaccine progress.

Corona virus
Japan Moves Fast To Approve Remdesivir • Source: Shutterstock

Drug regulatory authorities in Japan on 7 May granted special expedited approval to Gilead Sciences Inc.’s antiviral Veklury (remdesivir) as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, under an exceptional emergency approval pathway.

The clearance references the 1 May Emergency Use Authorization for the nucleotide analog from the US Food and Drug Administration and is based on clinical data from the US National...

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