Antiviral Drug Remdesivir Shows Positive Results In COVID-19 Treatment: US Firm

Antiviral drug Remdesivir has shown positive results in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, US-based pharma company Gilead Sciences has said.

In its third phase of clinical trial, a 5-day dosage of the medicine has reportedly improved the condition of 50 per cent of the patients with many discharged from hospitals in two weeks.

“Certainly, it’s a positive, a very positive event,” US President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday in response to a question related to the development of Remdesivir.

However, the drug has not been licensed or approved globally for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, a study to determine the efficacy of the medicine for a five-day course as compared to a 10-day treatment regime is underway, the company said.

Remdesivir was found to kill viruses like Ebola, Marburg, MERS and SARS. The medication disables virus RNA (ribonucleic acid) replication.

However, the drug failed the human trial stage for treating the Ebola virus in 2018-19.