Gilead, European Commission ink pact for 500000 treatment courses of Remdesivir against COVID-19

Under the framework, all participating countries can now place their orders to procure Remdesivir directly.

At this stage, Remdesivir is the only medicine with a conditional marketing authorisation in the EU for the treatment of Covid-19 patients needing oxygen supply.

In the statement, Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: "Today we secure access to Remdesivir for the treatment of up to 500,000 patients in need. We are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to ensure that safe and efficient therapeutics are available against Covid-19.

"Through our EU Joint Procurements, we are empowering countries across Europe to join forces and get access to vital equipment and medicines. We are always stronger together, and this is European solidarity in action against Covid-19."

The signature of this joint procurement framework contract follows the Commission's contract with Gilead to secure 33,380 treatment courses of Remdisivir that have been distributed across the EU and the UK since August.

This contract was financed from the Commission's Emergency Support Instrument (ESI), worth a total of 70 million euros.

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