An evolution of remdesivir

Remdesivir, the Gilead Sciences’ antiviral initially developed with diseases like SARS, MERS, and Ebola in mind, has been perhaps the world’s best hope to combat coronavirus. It’s being rushed to patients in the most advanced stages of Covid-19, with the hope that it may have some impact on the fast-spreading pathogen.

The drug is being tested in five Covid-19 trials, STAT’s Andrew Joseph writes, with the first readout expected next month. Analysts have raised concerns about the drug’s impact, but many still think remdesivir has plenty of potential to help curb the worst of the pandemic.

“There’s only one drug right now that we think may have real efficacy,” Bruce Aylward of the WHO said last month. “And that’s remdesivir.”