SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved a request by the country’s health authorities to import Gilead Sciences Inc’s anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat COVID-19, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The decision came after a government panel concluded last week that remdesivir showed positive results.

The ministry said it will cooperate with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), other ministries and Gilead Sciences to swiftly import the drug.