The study expands on results Gilead Science shared in September and supports the company’s case for expanding remdesivir’s approval to treat patients early in their illness in outpatient settings, according to The Washington Post.
The study involved 562 nonhospitalized, unvaccinated adults who were age 60 or older or had one or more risk factors known to increase the likelihood of severe COVID-19. Study participants who took a three-day course of remdesivir within a week of experiencing symptoms had an 87 percent lower risk of hospitalization or death compared to a placebo group.
The study was conducted before the delta and omicron variants emerged, though the study’s main author said the drug would likely remain effective against omicron, according to the Post.
At present, remdesivir is commonly used to treat people already hospitalized with COVID-19. This fall, Gilead Sciences asked the FDA to expand the drug’s approval to include nonhospitalized patients based on the study findings.
View the full study here.
