Gilead says remdesivir cuts death risk
The company at the forefront in the battle against COVID-19 delivered more positive news on its antiviral, remdesivir.
Gilead Sciences said Friday additional data in a late-stage study revealed its drug reduced the risk of death and significantly improved the conditions of severely ill coronavirus patients.
The study found that the mortality rate for those taking remdesivir was nearly 5 percentage points lower than those not on the drug.
And over 74% of patients treated with remdesivir recovered by Day 14. That compares to 59% of patients with similar characteristics who received standard of care.
Gilead said the findings require confirmation in clinical trials.
Its drug has already been approved for use in several countries for treating severe patients. But there are concerns over the supply of the drug.
Shares of Gilead, which are up nearly 15% this year, rose further in early trading Friday.
