Lithuania set to purchase COVID-19 drug remdesivir

“A certain part of the planned stock will be purchased on a centralized basis, i.e. together with other European Union’s (EU) countries, and the remaining quantity will be acquired individually. Our country needs more than 2,400 ampoules of remdesivir and we now seek to purchase slightly more than 700 ampoules,” the ministry said in a press release.

Lithuania made the decision to purchase remdesivir given that the European Commission last week granted a conditional marketing authorization for remdesivir, making it the first medicine authorized at EU level for treatment against COVID-19. This authorization, under an accelerated procedure, came after a respective recommendation issued by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on June 25, 2020.

According to the ministry, remdesivir, sold under the brand name Veklury, is indicated for the treatment of COVID-19 in adults and adolescentsm, aged 12 years and older, with pneumonia requiring supplemental oxygen.

Remdesivir, which is administered intravenously, was originally developed to treat Ebola.