Could Remdesivir be Gilead’s balm against COVID-19

As COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) continues to spread across the world, Gilead Sciences the Californian pharmaceutical company is testing Remdesivir, an investigational nucleotide analog against this deadly disease. This unlicensed drug shows broad-spectrum antiviral activity against Ebola, MERS, and SARS in cell culture and animal models. Gilead’s investigational new drug (IND) application for COVID-19 was accepted by USFDA following rapid review (2). Clinical trials are underway - two in China’s Hubei province (one in patients with severe disease and another in those with moderate disease) and another trial in University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, USA, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Remdesivir in adults diagnosed with COVID-19 (3,4). The world eagerly awaits the first trial results from China in April.

References

1. Jeremiah 8:22, The Bible

2. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-remdesivir-treat-covid-19-begins

3. https://www.gilead.com/news-and-press/press-room/press-releases/2020/2/gilead-sciences-initiates-two-phase-3-studies-of-investigational-antiviral-remdesivir-for-the-treatment-of-covid-19

4. https://www.gilead.com/purpose/advancing-global-health/covid-19