Japan gives emergency approval to Shionogi's oral COVID-19 drug

Japan's health ministry on Tuesday granted fast-track approval to Shionogi & Co.'s COVID-19 tablet Xocova, making it the country's first domestically produced oral medicine against the coronavirus.The medicine for COVID-19 patients aged 12 or older with mild symptoms also became the first drug authorized under the new emergency approval scheme established in May."As soon as the distribution system is ready, we plan to start delivering the drug so it can be used for treatment from early December," Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato told a press conference after a panel of expe…READ FULL ARTICLE