COVID-19: South Korea plans to import remdesivir amid fear of second wave

Amid concerns of another wave of coronavirus outbreak, South Korean authorities reportedly said on May 29 that they are planning to request import orders of Gilead Sciences Inc’s experimental antiviral drug remdesivir. South Korea has reported 58 new cases of coronavirus, taking the total COVID-19 cases to 11,402 with 269 deaths related to it so far.

According to media reports, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said a government panel has concluded that remdesivir showed positive results. However, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety must approve the import before requesting the company.

Gilead Sciences Inc., a research-based biopharmaceutical company, had evaluated 5-day and 10-day dosing durations of the remdesivir in hospitalised patients with severe manifestations of COVID-19. The company said that patients who received the drug within 10 days of symptoms responded better to the treatment.

“The study demonstrates the potential for some patients to be treated with a 5-day regimen, which could significantly expand the number of patients who could be treated with our current supply of Remdesivir,” said Merdad Parsey, Chief Medical Officer of Gilead Sciences, in a statement.

Read: Health Ministry 'not Satisfied' With Efficacy Of Remdesivir, Favipiravir To Fight COVID-19

FDA's Emergency Use Authorisation

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also issued an Emergency Use Authorisation for remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19 due to ongoing health emergency. In the US, remdesivir is an investigational drug that has not been approved by the FDA for any use, and its safety and efficacy for the treatment of COVID-19 has not been established. 

While the company’s CMO said that the study results complement data from a separate trial conducted by the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, it didn’t disclose further details about the study. Gilead Sciences Inc. made it clear that remdesivir is not yet licensed or approved anywhere globally and has not yet been demonstrated to be safe or effective for the treatment of COVID-19.

Read: Swiss Drugmaker Roche To Mix Actemra With Remdesivir In COVID-19 Trial

(With agency inputs | Image: AP)