A leading infectious diseases expert says there is “clear cut” evidence an experimental antiviral drug “can block” the coronavirus after a clinical trial produced remarkable results.
The preliminary results show that patients given the drug remdesivir recovered 31 per cent faster than those given a placebo, according to the US government study run by the National Institutes of Health.
Gilead Sciences announced on Wednesday local time that remdesivir was successful in treating severe COVID-19 patients in two study groups.
Speaking at the White House today, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said remdesivir “has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery”, according to the data.
The data he referred to is from a large study of more than 1,000 patients from multiple sites around the world. Patients either received remdesivir or a placebo. Dr Fauci said that the results were so promising, there is “an ethical obligation to immediately let the placebo group know so they can have access” to the drug. But he also cautioned that the results of the study overseen by his agency, still need to be properly peer reviewed.
“Although a 31 per cent improvement doesn’t seem like a knockout 100 per cent, it is a very important proof of concept because what it has proven is that a drug can block this virus, ”Dr Fauci added.
“This is very optimistic.”
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