Gilead strikes deal to make remdesivir coronavirus treatment in 127 countries

By , K24 Digital
On Wed, 13 May, 2020 08:32 | < 1 min read
WHO on Monday, March 16, 2021 appealed to countries to keep vaccination campaigns going. [PHOTO | FILE]
PHOTO | File
WHO on Monday, March 16, 2021 appealed to countries to keep vaccination campaigns going. [PHOTO | FILE]

The company behind the experimental coronavirus treatment remdesivir has signed non-exclusive licensing deals with five drugmakers based in India and Pakistan to make and sell the antiviral medicine in 127 countries.

Gilead Sciences said the agreements cover almost all of the world's low-income and lower-middle income countries, including Afghanistan, India, North Korea, Pakistan and South Africa.

The pacts also include several upper-middle and high-income nations.

This month both the US and Japan authorised remdesivir as a treatment for Covid-19 patients.

Many other pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop a Covid-19 drug or vaccine to combat the pandemic.