Gilead says additional data on remdesivir shows improved Covid-19 clinical recovery

[BENGALURU] Gilead Sciences said on Friday additional data from a late-stage study showed its antiviral remdesivir significantly improved clinical recovery and reduced the risk of death in Covid-19 patients.

The company said the finding requires confirmation in prospective clinical trials.

Gilead said it analysed data from 312 patients treated in a late-stage study and a separate real-world retrospective cohort of 818 patients with similar characteristics and disease severity as in the study.

Findings from the analysis of its late-stage study showed that 74.4 per cent of remdesivir-treated patients recovered by Day 14 versus 59 per cent of patients receiving standard of care, the company said.

The mortality rate for patients treated with remdesivir in the analysis was 7.6 per cent at Day 14, compared with 12.5 per cent among patients not on remdesivir.

Gilead shares were up nearly 2 per cent at US$76.14 in trading before the bell.

REUTERS