Remdesivir, the antiviral drug Gilead sells under the brand name Veklury, reduced mortality rates in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and increased their likelihood of being discharged by day 28 after a five-day regimen, Gilead said June 21.
The announcement is based on three retrospective studies examining the real-world treatment of 98,654 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
In two of the studies, remdesivir reduced patients' mortality risk by 54 percent and 23 percent.
Remdesivir became the first FDA-approved COVID-19 treatment in October.