Gilead donates 5,100 remdesivir vials to combat Marburg Virus in Rwanda

RWANDA — Gilead Sciences, Inc., in partnership with Africa CDC and Rwanda’s Ministry of Health, has donated 5,100 vials of remdesivir to support Rwanda’s fight against the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD).

This contribution aims to provide critical treatment to those affected by the virus and follows negotiations led by Africa CDC.

Gilead Sciences, renowned for its pioneering work in discovering and developing remdesivir, had previously contributed significantly to global efforts against viral outbreaks.

 Remdesivir was widely used during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014/2015 and was one of the primary drugs tested during the 2018 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) under the PALM trial.

Now, the drug is being provided to Rwanda for emergency use in the fight against MVD, even though there is no officially approved cure for the disease.

The decision to donate remdesivir followed negotiations led by Africa CDC, and the antiviral drug is expected to provide vital treatment to those affected by the virus.

Shortly after Rwanda’s Ministry of Health declared the Marburg outbreak, Africa CDC deployed senior response leaders to Kigali to assist with disease surveillance, laboratory testing, and research initiatives to contain the virus.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) is currently leading global vaccine and therapeutic trials, remdesivir is being utilized on an emergency basis to mitigate the impact of the virus.

Commenting on the donation, Anu Osinusi, Vice President of Clinical Research for Hepatitis, Respiratory, and Emerging Viruses at Gilead Sciences, acknowledged the severity of the situation.

She noted that the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda is one of the largest in history, adding that while Rwanda has built a robust public health system, diseases caused by filoviruses like Marburg can result in high morbidity and mortality rates.

She further emphasized Gilead’s commitment to supporting the response as swiftly and efficiently as possible, with the immediate focus being to collaborate with the Rwandan government and health authorities to ensure remdesivir is accessible to those in need.

Similarly, Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, expressed his gratitude for the collaboration with Gilead Sciences and Africa CDC.

He explained that the donation of antiviral treatments, such as remdesivir, will play a vital role in managing the outbreak.

He also acknowledged the importance of international partnerships in enabling Rwanda to respond swiftly and effectively to this public health crisis. 

Adding to these sentiments, Africa CDC’s Director General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, praised the collaboration between Gilead and Rwanda.

He described the donation as a testament to the power of global partnerships in public health, underscoring Africa CDC’s commitment to ensuring that African Union Member States have access to the best available treatments during health emergencies.

Dr. Kaseya reaffirmed that Africa CDC, alongside the Rwandan government and international partners, is taking all necessary steps to contain the outbreak and support ongoing research into future countermeasures.

Gilead is now coordinating closely with Rwanda’s Ministry of Health to ensure that the donated remdesivir vials are distributed to needy patients across the affected regions, contributing to Rwanda’s ongoing efforts to control the Marburg outbreak. 

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