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Antiviral drug remdesivir can now be used to treat seriously ill Covid-19 patients in Singapore, making the country one of the first to get the nod for using the drug to treat the virus.
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has granted conditional approval for Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir, allowing infectious diseases specialists to administer the drug to some patients, the authority said on Wednesday (June 10), The Straits Times has learnt.
Remdesivir is the only treatment so far shown to benefit Covid-19 patients in a robust clinical trial.
As part of the conditional approval, Gilead is required to collect the relevant safety data and to monitor the use of the drug. The approval was obtained in less than three weeks – Gilead filed for registration of remdesivir in Singapore on May 22.
Patients the drug can be administered to include those with low oxygen saturation levels less than or equal to 94 per cent, or who might require supplemental oxygen or more intensive breathing support such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation – a type of life support, or invasive mechanical ventilation, HSA said.
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