The US government intends to acquire almost all of the production of the antiviral remdesivir indicated for patients suffering from severe forms of Covid-19, we learned on Wednesday. The United States and the American pharmaceutical laboratory Gilead Sciences have agreed on the acquisition of doses necessary for more than 500,000 treatments, according to the United States Department of Public Health. This represents 100% of the production volume planned for July and 90% of that of August and September.
Asked about the risk that this agreement could jeopardize supplies to Europe, a spokesperson for the pharmaceutical company declined to comment.
Gilead Sciences nevertheless clarified that the agreement stipulates that unallocated production will remain available for other uses, including outside the United States. To this end, the needs and use of the drug by hospitals will be closely monitored and evaluated.
A five-day treatment with remdesivir will cost a total of 2,340 dollars, or about 2,076 euros, Gilead said. The drug will be available in the United States starting in July.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended the authorization of a "conditional marketing" of the antiviral within the European Union for patients with the new coronavirus. This recommendation is to be approved by the European Commission this week.
Originally developed in vain against Ebola hemorrhagic fever, the remdesivir is the first therapy to have demonstrated some efficacy in hospitalized patients for Covid-19 in a clinical trial of significant size, although the effect is considered modest.
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