Today, the European Commission granted a conditional marketing authorization for the medicine Remdesivir, making it the first medicine authorized at EU level for treatment against COVID-19.

This authorization, under an accelerated procedure, comes after a recommendation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), followed by an endorsement by the Member States.

Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “Today’s authorization of a first medicine to treat COVID-19 is an important step forward in the fight against this virus. We are granting this authorization less than a month after the  application was submitted, showing clearly the EU’s determination to respond quickly whenever new treatments become available. We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to secure efficient treatments or vaccine against the coronavirus.”

The move comes comes just days after Gilead Sciences- the com pany producing the drug – allocated nearly all of its supply of remdesivir to the United States over the next three months, stirring concerns about availability elsewhere.