미 FDA, 코로나 치료제로 렘데시비르 정식사용 승인<br /><br />U.S. regulators have approved the first drug to treat Covid-19: It's the antiviral, remdesivir, given to hospitalized patients through an IV.<br />The drug manufactured by Gilead Sciences had been approved already for emergency use in the U.S. and South Korea.<br />Lee Kyung-eun has the latest.<br />Five months into receiving emergency use authorization, Remdesivir has finally been fully approved by the U.S. FDA as a treatment against COVID-19.<br />Thursday's approval makes the antiviral drug the first and only officially authorized treatment for the infectious disease in the U.S.<br />The FDA called "an important scientific milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic".<br />Made by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences, Remdesivir was initially developed to treat Ebola.<br />But it began being used as COVID-19 therapy in 50 countries, including the U.S.,... after one study showed the drug can cut patients' recovery time by five days.<br />In August, the scope of emergency use was also expanded to include mild and moderate patients,... not just severe cases.<br />Those patients include President Trump, who used the drug in his fight against the virus.<br />"He'll receive another dose of Remdesivir here today and then we plan to get him home."<br />And now, under the official approval, Remdesivir will be given to hospitalized patients who are least 12 years old and weigh over 40 kilograms.<br />However, the WHO, based on its latest study, remains doubtful about the drug's effectiveness.<br />"Interim results from the (Solidarity) trial now show that the other two drugs in the trial, remdesivir and interferon, have little or no effect in preventing death from COVID-19 or reducing time in hospital."<br />Gilead criticized the WHO, saying their findings don't negate other positive results.<br />Despite the WHO's concerns, the drugmaker is set to ramp up production to make 2 million treatment courses by the end of this year.<br />Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.<br />
