Gilead Sciences’ drug, Remdesivir is the first treatment to pass such a strict test against the virus, which has killed more than 218,000 people since it emerged late last year in China. Having a treatment could have a profound effect on the global pandemic.
The study, run by the National Institutes of Health, tested Remdesivir versus usual care in 1,063 hospitalized coronavirus patients around the world. At the White House, NIH's Dr. Anthony Fauci said the drug reduced the time it takes patients to recover by 31% — 11 days on average versus 15 days for those just given usual care.
He also said there was a trend toward fewer deaths among those on Remdesivir.
President Donald Trump has therefore called on the US Food and Drug Administration to move "as quickly as they can" to approve Remdesivir as a treatment for the dreaded coronavirus.
