A California biotech company says its experimental drug remdesivir improved symptoms when given for five days to moderately ill, hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
A large study led by the National Institutes of Health recently found it could shorten average recovery time from 15 days to 11 days in hospitalized patients with severe disease.
By the 11th day in the study, those on five days of remdesivir were 65% more likely to improve by at least one on a seven-point scale that included measures such as needing treatment with a breathing machine, Gilead said.
There were no deaths among patients on five days of the drug, two among those on 10 days, and four among patients getting standard care alone.
In a note to investors, Evercore ISI analyst Umer Raffat noted that the study’s main goal was changed partway through, from the percentage of patients discharged within two weeks to the scale of improvement after 11 days.
