The World Health Organization (WHO) has finally released the data on a global study conducted over the use of antiviral drug Remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19 patients.  

Gilead
(Photo : Reutersconnect)
Gilead Sciences Inc pharmaceutical company is seen after they announced a Phase 3 Trial of the investigational antiviral drug Remdesivir in patients with severe coronavirus disease.

WHO conducted the study to review Remdesivir as a potential drug to treat patients who tested positive for the coronavirus. According to a published report in CNN News, around 30 countries participated with more than 11,000 COVID-19 patients.

The international team of researchers noted that the study's protocol was designed to involve hundreds of potentially over-stressed hospitals in 30 countries. But the researchers did not provide details about the demographic profile of the patients.

WHO described the results of the study as both conclusive and disappointing. It said that Remdesivir has little or no effect on mortality towards patients hospitalized due to COVID-19. The drug does not also help patients to recover faster. 

Remdesivir has been the only drug to have an Emergency Authorization Use given by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This is because it is the only drug so far that appeared to have specific effects for those who tested positive for the virus. 

The study's results have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, but WHO already posted them to a preprint server. This means that other experts and scientists have not yet reviewed the results to look for its pitfalls.

Aside from Remdesivir, WHO also studied three other drugs, which are hydroxychloroquine, interferon, and the HIV combination of lopinavir and ritonavir. 

The health organization found that none of these drugs were proven to help the patients recover faster or get out of the hospital more quickly. 

The global study has helped experts and researchers generate conclusive evidence on the impacts of drugs in terms of mortality, the need for ventilation, and how long they will stay in the hospital.  A statement released by WHO said the study showed that each drug's effect on mortality was disappointing. 

Some studies have already suggested that hydroxychloroquine had no effect on COVID-19 patients. It can be remembered that the anti-malaria drug was once believed as a treatment for those who tested positive for the virus, but the global study today suggests that it does not. 

Meanwhile, in a separate study conducted in the U.S. over the use of Remdesivir, it was found out that it shortens the recovery time by a third to severely ill and hospitalized adults. But Remdesivir does little to help those who have milder cases. 

Gilead, the manufacturer of the Remdesivir, released a statement and said, "The emerging data appear inconsistent with more robust evidence from multiple randomized, controlled studies published in peer-reviewed journals validating the clinical benefit of Veklury (remdesivir)."

WHO researchers said their Solidarity trial for potential COVID-19 drugs would continue. They are targeting to evaluate new antiviral drugs, immunomodulators, and anti-SARS COV-2 monoclonal antibodies.  

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