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U.S. approves Remdesivir for treatment of Coronavirus emergency patients

*Approval broadens use of Gilead’s antiviral drug

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect
The United States has approved Remdesivir as an experimental drug for emergency use on COVID-19 patients.

It was learnt that more American states eased pandemic lockdowns despite another spike in deaths from the disease recently.

The recent approval is said to be the latest step in a global effort at discovering viable treatments and a vaccine for the fatal Coronavirus epidemic.

The outreak of the virus has forced half of humanity under lockdowns, destabilised the world economy, and infected more than 3.3 million people, reports AFP.

Recall that Remdesivir, an antiviral drug, originally, was developed to treat Ebola.

However, the American authorities gave the drug a greenlight Friday, May 1, 2020, after a major trial found that it boosted recovery in serious COVID-19 patients.

“It’s really a very promising situation,” United States President Donald Trump said Friday at The White House, where he was joined by Daniel O’Day, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gilead Sciences, a firm that developed Remdesivir.

Remdesivir incorporates itself into the virus’s genome, short-circuiting its replication process.

The drug approval came as the US leaders struggled with growing pressure from citizens wearying of stay-at-home orders.

With about 1.1 million confirmed Coronavirus cases, nearly 65,000 of them fatal, the United States has the highest tolls of any country.

Trump is reportedly keen on a turnaround as the world’s largest economy reels with tens of millions left jobless.

“Hopefully, we’re going to come in below that 100,000 lives lost, which is a horrible number nevertheless,” said President Trump.

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