The antiviral, known by the brand name Veklury, is one of only two medicines currently authorised to treat COVID-19 patients across the world. But a large WHO-led trial known as the Solidarity Trial showed last month that it had little or no effect on 28-day mortality or length of hospital stays for COVID-19 patients. It is authorised or approved for use as a COVID-19 treatment in more than 50 countries. Gilead has questioned the Solidarity Trial's results and said in a statement on Friday it was "disappointed" at the new WHO guideline. The panel added that it supported continued enrolment into clinical trials evaluating remdesivir in patients with COVID-19, which it said should "provide higher certainty of evidence for specific groups of patients".

Source: bd News24 November 20, 2020 12:56 UTC