Trials for inhaled version of remdesivir to start in Aug

relatively short space of time. Remdesivir is now being used to treat patients through emergency use authorizations and other access programs around the world. And yet, we still have some way to go in exploring the full potential of remdesivir to help against covid-19.”

In the next wave of clinical development, the drug maker said it will study remdesivir in combination with other therapies and in additional patient groups. So far, randomised controlled trials of remdesivir have been evaluating safety and efficacy in hospitalised patients.

In a study by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), it was foundthatremdesivirshortened recovery time by an average of four days and in the SIMPLE study of moderately ill patients-those in hospital but not requiring oxygen--individuals onafivedaycourseofremdesivirhadbetter clinical outcomes than those receiving standard care.

The NIAID study also showed that treatmentwasmosteffective in patients who did not require ventilator support, supporting further study in patients in early stages of the disease. Thetotality of these datashowsthatremdesivir has the potential to be of meaningful benefit to patients with covid-19.

“The inhaled formulation studies are one means of exploring the use of remdesivir in the earlier stages of covid-19. Wewill also conducttrials usingintravenous infusions in outpatient settings suchasinfusioncentersand nursing homes,”’said Daniel O’day, chairmanandchief executive, Gilead Sciences.

“Ourhopeisthatearlier intervention couldhelppatients avoid hospitalization,” he said.

India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on June20approvedmanufacturing and marketing of remdesivir by Hetero and Cipla.