United States Fully Authorizes COVID-19 Antiviral Remdesivir

The United States Medicines Agency (FDA) on Thursday granted full authorization for the antiviral drug remdesivir for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, confirming the conditional authorization granted in May, according to its manufacturer Gilead. 

Gilead announced that it had received authorization for the drug, under the Veklury brand, stressing that it was the only specific treatment against COVID-19 so authorized after a more rigorous and definitive verification procedure. However, other treatments have received authorizations for emergency use. Gilead's stock on the New York Stock Exchange jumped 4% soon after the announcement.