Gilead Sciences has received approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for its antiviral drug remdesivir, under the brand name Veklury, to treat Covid-19 infection.
The decision falls under an exceptional approval pathway, which is similar to emergency use authorisation in the US.
Remdesivir is an experimental nucleotide analogue that showed broad-spectrum antiviral activity against various viral pathogens, including Ebola, Marburg, MERS and SARS, in-vitro and in-vivo in animal models.
In-vitro testing found that the drug is active against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19. The drug is currently being assessed in several Phase III clinical trials.
Gilead Sciences chief medical officer Merdad Parsey said: “The Japanese approval of remdesivir is in recognition of the urgent need to treat critically ill patients in Japan. It is a reflection of the exceptional circumstances of this pandemic.
“We thank the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for their leadership and collaboration, as we together work to respond to this public health emergency.”
The Japanese approval is supported by results from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)’s global Phase III trial and Gilead’s Phase III SIMPLE trial in patients with severe Covid-19 manifestations.
