US bought stock of coronavirus drug

The drug remdesivir, one of the only approved treatments for coronavirus, was purchased by the U.S. government almost entirely for the next three months, leaving many countries struggling with the pandemic out of option.

The drug is produced by Gilead Sciences and is patented, so no other laboratory can help supply without your authorization. According to studies, patients with COVID-19 treated with remdesivir they reestablish, on average, four days before the other patients.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an agreement with the company to acquire 500 thousand treatments, which means 100% of the production in July and 90% of what was manufactured in August and September.

“President Trump has made an amazing deal to ensure that Americans have access to the first authorized therapy for COVID-19, “said HHS Secretary Alex Azar.” As much as possible, we want to make sure that any American patient who needs remdesivir can get it. The Trump Administration is doing everything in our power to learn more about life-saving therapies for COVID-19 and to ensure access to these options for the American people. ”

The US government’s decision alarms countries that are eagerly awaiting the development of vaccines, as a similar hoarding would hinder global distribution if Washington also reaches an agreement with the laboratory that achieves the first effective formula against the vaccine. coronavirus.

Generic agreements

For its part, the company has signed an agreement with generic manufacturers in Egypt, India and Pakistan to produce and distribute the drug in 127 poor countries, but the deal leaves out dozens of nations with hundreds of thousands of patients.

On average, each treatment consists of 6 doses, although it can be increased for the most complicated cases. Until before July, Gilead distributed more than 140,000 doses worldwide for clinical trials, but this policy ended at the end of June.

“They have access to most of the drug supply [de remdesivir]so there is nothing for Europe, “said doctor Andrew Hill, principal visiting researcher at the University of Liverpool, speaking to The Guardian.

The treatment price exceeds $ 2,400 dollars

How much does it cost?

Earlier in the week, Gilead Sciences announced that it will charge the United States Government $ 390 for each dose of its coronavirus medication remdesivir. This would imply that a five-day treatment would have a minimum cost of $ 2,340.

Gilead said in a statement Monday that it would offer this price to developed countries around the world. The goal, he said, is to create a single price model that would avoid the need for country-by-country negotiations, which could slow down access to the drug.

The price was quickly criticized. A group of consumers considered it “outrageous” due to the amount of money from taxpayers in the United States who were invested in the development of the drug.

The remdesivir was created by the US laboratory Gilead against Ebola hemorrhagic fever, without success. But during a large clinical trial it showed some efficacy against Covid-19.

The drug interferes with the coronavirus’s ability to copy its genetic material. In a study led by the US government, remdesivir shortened recovery time by 31%: 11 days on average vs. 15 days for those who receive regular care. What has not improved is survival, according to preliminary results after two weeks of follow-up. Results are expected for four weeks.

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