Amid growing frenzy over an Ebola outbreak in West Africa and fears it could spread, Canadian-based Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp.  has moved a little closer to getting approval for a treatment that combats the deadly virus, sending its shares soaring Friday.

Both U.S. and Canadian shares of Tekmira  TKMR +34.62%   CA:TKM +32.86% were up more than 28% in recent action, reaching new highs for the session.

Tekmira announced late Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave verbal approval to change the status on its drug, known as TKM-Ebola, to a partial clinical hold from a full clinical hold. The company says this could potentially allow the use of the drug in those already infected with Ebola. TKM-Ebola is being developed under a New Drug Application with the assistance of the Pentagon’s medical countermeasures office.

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