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FDA expected to quickly approve experimental coronavirus drug Remdesivir: U.S. official

Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: Trump, Fauci hopeful about Gilead’s COVID-19 drug Remdesivir'
Coronavirus outbreak: Trump, Fauci hopeful about Gilead’s COVID-19 drug Remdesivir
WATCH: Trump, Fauci hopeful about Gilead's COVID-19 drug Remdesivir – Apr 30, 2020

The nation’s top infectious diseases expert says he expects the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to quickly approve a new experimental drug that showed promising signs in treating patients with COVID-19.

Anthony Fauci tells NBC’s Today show Thursday that he anticipates the go-ahead for the emergency use of Remdesivir to happen “really quickly.”

Click to play video: 'Remdesivir: Drug shows promise as COVID-19 treatment'
Remdesivir: Drug shows promise as COVID-19 treatment
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He says he spoke with FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn on Wednesday, and while Hahn had yet to make a final decision, “I would project that we’re going to be seeing that reasonably soon.” The drug was shown in a major study to shorten recovery time of hospitalized patients.

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Fauci said the drug’s manufacturer has committed to scaling production of the drug as quickly as possible as the world hunts for an effective treatment and ultimately a vaccine.

Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: Trump, Fauci hopeful about Gilead’s COVID-19 drug Remdesivir'
Coronavirus outbreak: Trump, Fauci hopeful about Gilead’s COVID-19 drug Remdesivir

Fauci has been working on a project to fast track the development of a vaccine by mass producing formulas that appear safe and effective before they’re fully vetted. The goal is to get hundreds of millions of doses to the public by January.

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