Japan to Grant Special Approval for COVID-19 Treatment Candidate 'Remdesivir'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] Japanese media reported on the 3rd that the Japanese government has entered the special approval process for 'Remdesivir,' a candidate drug attracting attention as a treatment for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to the Asahi Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun on the same day, the Japanese government decided to amend the ordinance necessary for special approval at the Cabinet meeting held the previous day to enable early use of Remdesivir as a COVID-19 treatment.

Katsunobu Kato, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, stated after the Cabinet meeting that if Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of Remdesivir, applies for use, he has instructed the working-level staff to approve it "within about a week."

Remdesivir, developed as a treatment for the Ebola virus, has attracted attention due to positive results in clinical trials involving hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Earlier, on the 1st (local time), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the emergency use of Remdesivir for severely hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

However, the Asahi Shimbun reported that the FDA stated side effects of Remdesivir include liver inflammation, cell damage, low blood pressure, nausea, cold sweat, and chills.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.