Veklury significantly cuts hospitalization risk in high-risk COVID-19 patients

US biotech Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD) has released positive results from a Phase III randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a three-day course of Veklury (remdesivir) for intravenous (IV) use for the treatment of COVID-19 in non-hospitalized patients at high risk for disease progression.

Gilead says that these late-breaking data will be presented at the IDWeek 2021 virtual conference, which kicks off on September 29.

In an analysis of 562 participants randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive Veklury or placebo, Veklury demonstrated a statistically-significant 87% reduction in risk for the composite primary endpoint of COVID-19 related hospitalization or all-cause death by Day 28 (0.7% [2/279]) compared with placebo (5.3% [15/283]) p=0.008. Results also showed an 81% reduction in risk for the composite secondary endpoint of medical visits due to COVID-19 or all-cause death by Day 28 for participants treated with Veklury (1.6% [4/246]) compared with placebo (8.3% [21/252]) p=0.002. In the study, no deaths were observed in either arm by Day 28.