Remdesivir Fails First Randomized Human Trials According To Reports
REMDESIVIR FAILS – The experimental drug Remdesivir showed promise, however, it failed its first human trials.
A draft of the summary was posted briefly online on the World Health Organization’s website. However, the report was screenshot by Financial Times and Stat.
But, the creators of the drug, Gilead Sciences disputed the report that their drug had failed. Instead, they explained the data showed a “potential benefit” in combating the virus.
According to an article from NST, the summary stated the Chinese trials included 237 patients. Of that number, 158 were on the drug. Additionally, 79 were placed as a control group. However, 18 patients were cut off from the drug due to side effects.
After a month, 13.9% of the patients that were given Remdesivir had died compared to the 12.8 percent of those in the control group. As such, the difference was not statistically significant.
Meanwhile, WHO said that the draft was now undergoing peer review and was published due to an error. As per the article, a spokesperson from Gilead stated:
We believe the post included inappropriate characterizations of the study.
As such, the study results are inconclusive, though trends in the data suggest a potential benefit for Remdesivir, particularly among patients treated early in the disease
However, Remdesivir was only one of the drugs suggested as a treatment for the new coronavirus. Furthermore, there are several other large-scale trials that are now in advanced states that could provide a better understanding of the virus.
Meanwhile, Stephen Evans, a professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said the “trial was too small in numbers recruited” to detect benefits or risks.
But, he added that “If the drug only works well when given very early after infection, it may be much less useful in practice”.
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