U.S. infectious disease group backs Gilead’s remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19

(Reuters) – America’s leading infectious disease medical association said Monday that remdesivir, an antiviral drug from Gilead Sciences Inc., should be used for hospital patients with COVID-19 despite a World Organization recommendation to health (WHO) last week against its use.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), in updated guidance, said its experts support the drug for use in patients with severe COVID-19 based on a clinical trial showing it reduces hospital stays. The WHO study that led to its recommendation against the drug suggested that it had no benefit in saving lives or reducing the need for mechanical respiratory support.

“As hospitals in the United States fill up, the IDSA panel views the effect of remdesivir in accelerating recovery time as a significant benefit,” Dr Rajesh Gandhi, co-chair of the Expert Group on Treatment and Management of The company’s COVID-19, said on a call with reporters. “Better drugs that improve survival are clearly needed.”

Unlike the trial that led to its regulatory approval in the United States, the WHO study was not placebo-controlled. Studies with a placebo comparison are generally considered to be more scientifically rigorous than those without a control group.

The IDSA has also advised against routine use of the COVID-19 antibody treatment bamlanivimab from Eli Lilly and Co, which has received emergency use authorization in the United States. The IDSA panel said it recommends not using it routinely for outpatients, but may still be appropriate for patients at increased risk after discussion with their doctor.

“Antibodies can end up playing a role. I think we just need more definitive data, ”Dr Gandhi said. “I want to keep an eye on the benefits they might have as well as the patients most likely to benefit from them.”

He said Roche Holdings Ag’s rheumatoid arthritis drug Actemra, chemically known as tocilizumab, is not recommended for routine use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, saying there is no still had insufficient evidence to substantiate its benefits.