Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD)

[Tha Part Time Er]

May 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Saturday it would allow state health departments to distribute Gilead Sciences Inc's remdesivir drug to fight COVID-19, and the United States would receive about 40% of the drug maker's global donation.

Gilead has committed to supply approximately 607,000 vials of remdesivir over the next six weeks in the United States, and the U.S. state health department will distribute the doses to appropriate hospitals in their states, HHS said.

Gilead's drug has shown promise in helping patients infected with COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, and is being closely watched on how the limited supply is distributed.