Gilead launches clinical trial of coronavirus-fighting remdesivir inhaled version
Early studies of intravenous version of drug showed it hastened recovery for patients hospitalized with COVID-19
Gilead Sciences began a clinical trial Wednesday for an inhaled version of the antiviral drug remdesivir, the first treatment shown to be effective against COVID-19.
A group of 60 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 45 will participate in the trial, the biopharmaceutical company said. The trial will assess whether the inhaled version of remdesivir is safe and effective in an outpatient setting for individuals experiencing the early stages of infection with the novel coronavirus.
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“Based on current scientific understanding, the upper respiratory tract is the most prevalent site of SARSCoV-2 infection early in disease,” Gilead Sciences Chief Medical Officer Merdad Parsey said in a statement. “Delivering remdesivir directly to the primary site of infection with a nebulized, inhaled solution may enable more targeted and accessible administration in non-hospitalized patients and potentially lower systemic exposure to the drug.”
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GILD | GILEAD SCIENCES INC. | 92.11 | -0.52 | -0.56% |
The trial is one of several planned to test the effectiveness of the inhaled version of remdesivir, according to Gilead. Early studies of the intravenous version of remdesivir showed the drug hastened recovery for patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
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Gilead shares were down slightly in trading Thursday.
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U.S. regulators granted an emergency use authorization for remdesivir in May. At present, it is the only drug licensed for treatment of patients with severe cases of COVID-19.
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Last month, Gilead announced that remdesivir would range in price from $2,340 to $3,120 per treatment course, depending on a patient’s insurance.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.