Gilead puts hold on access to remdesivir outside of clinical trials

Due to overwhelming demand, US biotech giant Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD) is temporarily stopping compassionate-use of its remdesivir, in order to focus supplies of the investigational antiviral for clinical testing as a possible treatment for the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

Gilead says it is working to rapidly assess the safety and efficacy of remdesivir as a potential treatment for COVID-19 through multiple ongoing clinical trials. Enrollment in clinical trials is the primary way to access remdesivir to generate critical data that inform the appropriate use of this investigational medicine.

Remdesivir has previously demonstrated in vitro and in vivo activity in animal models against the viral pathogens MERS and SARS, which are coronaviruses that are structurally similar to the Wuhan-initiated new coronavirus outbreak.