Belgium is taking part in the joint European procurement of the coronavirus medicine Sotrovimab, the country's Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) confirmed on Thursday.
Belgium and 15 other EU Member States are participating in the purchase of up to 220,000 treatments with Sotrovimab, a new medicine from pharmaceutical company Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK), reports the Belga news agency.
The European Commission already concluded a framework agreement with the pharmaceutical company.
Sotrovimab (VIR-7831) can be used to treat patients with mild symptoms who do not require ventilation, but who are at high risk of developing severe disease.
Ongoing studies suggest that immediate treatment slows the disease, and reduces hospitalisations and admissions to intensive care units. Currently, Sotrovimab is undergoing a rolling review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Once GSK has obtained European market authorisation, the Member States can purchase the medicine via the framework agreement. In Belgium, the Federal Public Health Service is responsible for monitoring the national contract.
So far, the only medicine authorised in the EU for the treatment of Covid-19 is remdesivir, from pharmaceutical giant Gilead, which received European market authorisation in July 2020.
The Brussels Times
