India: Coronavirus: India bans export of remdesivir COVID-19 treatment drug

ndian authorities temporarily halted exports of the antiviral drug remdesivir on Sunday as a surge in coronavirus infections put a strain on demand for the treatment.

India reported its biggest-ever daily spike of 152,879 cases on Sunday, even as authorities launched a four-day "vaccine festival" to intensify the campaign in the country.

Health authorities said the surge in cases had led to a "sudden spike in demand" for remdesivir and that there was a "potential of further increase in this demand in the coming days."

Read more at: Coronavirus digest: India bans export of remdesivir COVID-19 treatment drug | News | DW | 11.04.2021

EU: Coronavirus -Remdesivir: Commission signs a joint procurement contract with Gilead for the supply of Remdesivir

 The Commission has signed a joint procurement framework contract with the pharmaceutical company Gilead for the supply of up to 500,000 treatment courses of Veklury, the brand name for Remdesivir, and the opportunity to increase supply beyond the 500,000 treatment courses. There are  36 signatories of the Joint Procurement Agreement participating in this joint procurement, including all EU countries, the EEA countries of Norway and Iceland*, the UK, as well as six candidate countries and potential candidates (Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo** and Bosnia and Herzegovina). All participating countries can now place their orders to procure Veklury directly. Veklury is at this stage the only medicine with a conditional marketing authorisation in the EU for the treatment of COVID-19 patients needing oxygen supply.

Read more at: Coronavirus: Remdesivir