FDA Approves First COVID-19 Treatment for Young Children

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The press release was published on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website:

On Apr. 26, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the approval of the COVID-19 treatment Veklury (remdesivir) to include pediatric patients 28 days of age and older weighing at least 3 kilograms (about 7 pounds) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, who are:

  • Hospitalized, or
  • Not hospitalized and have mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. 

This action makes Veklury the first approved COVID-19 treatment for children less than 12 years of age. As a result of today’s approval action, the agency also revoked the emergency use authorization for Veklury that previously covered this pediatric population. 

Before now, Veklury was only approved to treat certain adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older who weigh at least 40 kilograms, which is about 88 pounds) with COVID-19. 

The only approved dosage form is Veklury for injection.

The FDA granted approval to Gilead Sciences Inc.

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