Ebola drug maker\\\'s shares surge after US eases restrictions

Shares of Canadian company Tekmira Pharmaceuticals surged after US officials loosened restrictions on the use of its experimental drug to treat the Ebola virus. Near 1925 GMT, Tekmira shares were 36.1 per cent higher at $19.42 a share. Tekmira announced last week that the US Food & Drug Administration had ‘verbally confirmed’ that they shifted the classification of its TKM-Ebola treatment to a partial clinical hold from a full clinical hold. ‘This action enables the potential use of TKM-Ebola in individuals infected with Ebola virus,’ the company said. ‘This current outbreak underscores the critical need for effective therapeutic agents to treat the Ebola virus,’ said Tekmira chief executive Mark Murray. Two Americans infected with Ebola have shown signs of improvement since being given ZMapp, a treatment made by private US company Mapp Pharmaceuticals. There is no proven treatment or cure for Ebola and the use of experimental drugs for treatment has sparked debate with the latest outbreak in West Africa, according to AFP.