Remdesivir is believed to be most effective in treating coronavirus

The European Commission had given conditional approval for the use of antiviral remdesivir in severe COVID-19 patients following an accelerated review process, making it the region’s first therapy to be authorised to treat the virus, Reuters reports.

A conditional marketing authorisation is one of the EU regulatory mechanisms created to facilitate early access to medicines that fulfil an unmet medical need, the Commission said.

The move comes just a week after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gave its go-ahead for the drug to be use in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age who are also suffering from pneumonia and require oxygen support.

It also comes just days after the company allocated nearly all of its supply of the antiviral to the United States over the next three months.

Remdesivir is believed to be most effective in treating COVID-19 patients earlier in the course of disease.