New results from the research conducted by US government agency the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), suggests that the anti-viral drug remdesivir is effective against Coronavirus. The drug found to cut recovery times in coronavirus patients and has ‘clear-cut’ benefits.
Injecting remdesivir intravenously daily for ten days, accelerated the recovery of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
The National Institutes of Health, of which the NIAID is a part, said, “remdesivir was most beneficial for hospitalized patients with severe disease who required supplemental oxygen.”
However, scientists who conducted the trials noted that the drug did not prevent all deaths.
They further added, “Given high mortality despite the use of remdesivir, it is clear that treatment with an anti-viral drug alone is not likely to be sufficient.”
About 7.1 percent of patients given remdesivir in the trial group died within 14 days—compared with 11.9 percent in the placebo group.
The United States authorized the emergency use of remdesivir in hospitals on May 1, followed by Japan, while Europe is considering following suit.
Journal Reference:
- John H. Beigel et al. Remdesivir for the Treatment of Covid-19—Preliminary Report. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2007764