Gilead's drug remdesivir, a front-running COVID-19 treatment, was shown to effectively treat a small number of COVID-19 patients in the U.S., Europe and Canada, according to a study published April 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study tracked 53 patients, half of whom needed ventilators and four of whom were on heart-lung bypass machines, who received the drug through Gilead's compassionate use program, according to The Hill.
The study was co-written by researchers from Gilead and hospitals treating COVID-19 patients, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The drugs were given to patients between Jan. 25 and March 27, and 36 patients saw clinical improvement, 25 were discharged and seven died.
Of patients using ventilators, 17 had their tubes disconnected after remdesivir treatment. Three out of four patients on life-support machines were able to be taken off them, according to the Journal.
More than half of the patients experienced side effects ranging from a rash to acute kidney injury, according to NPR.
The study itself doesn't prove remdesivir's effectiveness, as more large clinical trials are needed, according to the Journal.
Several larger studies on the drug are expected to post results within weeks.