Wonder drug Remdesivir fails WHO clinical trials

tommytwojags

Well-known member
After being announced as a wonder drug for tackling the virus, and being hailed by President Trump as a lifesaver, remdesivir has been shown in clinical trials to have no positive effect on patients' chances of survival. The WHO announced last night that remdesivir, lopinavir, hydroxychloroquine and interferon-beta 1a all proved to have no effect on mortality rates.

 
Prior to the WHO study, a large controlled study of remdesivir in the US found that it shortens recovery time by about a third in severely ill, hospitalized adults with Covid-19, but does little to help those with milder cases.

Gilead Sciences, the drug's maker, said "the findings did not mean the drug is of no benefit. The emerging data appear inconsistent with more robust evidence from multiple randomized, controlled studies published in peer-reviewed journals validating the clinical benefit of Veklury (remdesivir). We are concerned that the data from this open- label global trial have not undergone the rigorous review required to allow for constructive scientific discussion,"

Gilead said in a statement.
"The benefits of Veklury have been demonstrated in three randomized, controlled clinical trials, including a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial -- the gold standard for evaluating the efficacy and safety of investigational drugs."

Make of that what you will. The WHO says the drug is ineffective but the manufacturers say it reduces recovery time by a third in severely ill patients. Then again Gilead Sciences are defending their share value which slumped upon release of the WHO report. The European Commission has sealed a deal with Gilead to buy 500,000 treatment courses of remdesivir.
 
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