Remdesivir production gets a big boost

Gilead Sciences is ramping up production of remdesivir, the experimental antiviral drug being tested for its efficacy against the novel coronavirus.

Gilead now has 1.5 million individual dosages of remdesivir, which could be used for more than 140,000 patients. It’s offering the drug for free through clinical trials and special access programs.

“Providing our existing supplies at no charge is the right thing to do, to facilitate access to patients as quickly as possible and in recognition of the public emergency posed by this pandemic,” Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day wrote in an open letter this past weekend.