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THE HEALTH | JUNE, 2020
By Khirtini K Kumaran
REMDESIVIR, an antiviral
drug developed by Gilead
Sciences Inc., an American
biotechnology company, is
an investigational nucleotide
analogue with broad-spectrum
antiviral activity both in vitro
and in vivo in animal models
against multiple emerging viral pathogens,
including Ebola, Marburg, MERS and SARS.
Remdesivir originally was found during
a drug discovery programme at Gilead to
search for inhibitors of the hepatitis C
virus, which is another RNA virus. Although
Gilead ultimately selected a different
nucleoside analogue for the treatment of
hepatitis, the company tested the drug to
see if it was effective against other RNA
viruses.
In vitro testing conducted by Gilead has
demonstrated that Remdesivir is active
against the virus that causes Covid-19. The
safety and efficacy of Remdesivir for the
treatment of Covid-19 are being evaluated in
multiple ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials.
Towards the end of April, Gilead Sciences
Inc announced results from Phase 3 of the
clinical trial on investigational antiviral
Remdesivir in patients with severe Covid-
19. The latest result of the study showed
similar efficacy with 5- and 10-day dosing
durations of Remdesivir.
Group Treatment
The study demonstrated that patients
receiving a 10-day treatment course of
Remdesivir achieved similar improvement
in clinical status compared with those
taking a 5-day treatment course. No
new safety signals were identified with
Remdesivir across either treatment group.
Gilead plans to submit the full data for
publication in a peer-reviewed journal in
the coming weeks.
“Unlike traditional drug development,
we are attempting to evaluate an
investigational agent alongside an evolving
global pandemic. Multiple concurrent
studies are helping inform whether
Remdesivir is a safe and effective treatment
for Covid-19 and how to utilise the drug
best,” said Merdad Parsey, MD, PhD, Chief
Medical Officer, Gilead Sciences.
“These study results complement
data from the placebo-controlled study
of Remdesivir conducted by the National
Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases
and help to determine the optimal duration
of treatment with Remdesivir. The study
demonstrates the potential for some
patients to be treated with a 5-day regimen,
which could significantly expand the
number of patients who could be treated
with our current supply of Remdesivir. This
is particularly important in the setting of a
pandemic, to help hospitals and healthcare
workers treat more patients in urgent need
of care.”
Remdesivir is not yet licensed or
approved anywhere globally. It has not,
however, proven to be safe or effective for
the treatment of Covid-19. This study sought
to determine whether a shorter, 5-day
course of Remdesivir would achieve similar
efficacy results as the 10-day treatment
regimen used in multiple ongoing studies
of Remdesivir. Secondary objectives
included rates of adverse events and
additional measures of clinical response in
both treatment groups.
Patients were required to have evidence
of pneumonia and reduced oxygen
levels that did not require mechanical
ventilation at the time of study entry.
Clinical improvement was defined as an
improvement of two or more points from
Remde
A poten
treatm
Covid-1
The antiviral dru
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results for Covid-
Aruna Subramanian,
MD, Clinical Professor
of Medicine, Chief,
Immunocompromised
Host Infectious
Diseases, Stanford
University, School of
Medicine.
Katherine Seley-Radtke,
Professor of Chemistry
and Biochemistry and
President-Elect of the
International Society
for Antiviral Research,
University of Maryland,