An early analysis of remdesivir, a drug developed by pharmaceutical firm Gilead, has shown that it may have improved severe symptoms of COVID-19 in 68% of patients after 18 days.
For the Gilead-funded study, doctors recruited 61 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 with oxygen saturation of 94% or less while breathing ambient air or receiving oxygen support. To receve remdesivir on a compassionate use basis (a program allowing the use of unapproved medicines when no other treatment options are available), on the first day of treatment, patients were administered 200mg of remesdevir, and then 100 mg daily on the remaining 9 days of treatment.
After 18 days of receiving the treatment, the doctors found just 53 patients who met the criteria following treatment for analysis. Among them, 36 (68%) had notable improvements in oxygen support class, including 17 patients receiving mechanical ventilation who were extubated. 25 patients were consequently discharged, while 7 died.
Comments are closed.