Society

Coronavirus treatment with remdesivir to cost $2,340 per patient

Jun 30 (Kyodo) - Gilead Sciences Inc. said Monday that its experimental anti-coronavirus drug remdesivir will be supplied to the governments of developed countries at what it sees as an affordable price of $2,340 per patient for a typical five-day treatment course.

The U.S. biopharmaceutical company has been donating worldwide, including to Japan, doses of the anti-viral drug that has demonstrated patient improvement in clinical trials for the disease triggered by the novel coronavirus. But it had not been clear what the price tag of the drug would be after the donations ended.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it has secured more than 500,000 treatment courses of the drug for the country's hospitals through September, which represents most of Gilead's projected production for the three months from July.

A treatment course of remdesivir is, on average, about six vials, according to the department.

Gilead said in a press release that it will charge governments $390 per vial.

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan Grapples with Poverty and Rising 'Invisible Homeless'

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Ueno Toshogu Shrine Shines in Gold with Special Lighting

A special lighting ceremony was held on November 20th at Ueno Toshogu Shrine, located in Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo. The event featured a unique lighting design created by renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii.

World's First Fiber Made From Bagworm Silk Revolutionizes Industry

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

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