Israel will receive a donation of Remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug for COVID-19, from its U.S. manufacturer, Israel's prime minister's office said on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
The Israeli cabinet approved in a telephone vote the decision by the Health Ministry to issue a permit to accept a donation of the drug from Gilead Sciences Inc, the U.S. biopharmaceutical company that produces the drug.
The supply of the Remdesivir is limited, and it is not being commercially marketed but distributed globally without payment, according to a document distributed to the ministers.
The drug has shown promise in early clinical trials in treating COVID-19 patients in the early stage of the infection.
Gilead received an emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 1 for "emergency use" of Remdesivir for the treatment of hospitalized patients.
Now, the California-headquartered biopharmaceutical giant is expanding quickly the supply of the drug to enable more clinical trials.