Remdesivir’s challenge: treating COVID-19 patients when it could benefit them the most

Data for Gilead’s remdesivir suggest the antiviral should be used early in the course of COVID-19. Now that the therapy has an EUA from FDA, the challenge will be treating patients with remdesivir when they’re most likely to benefit since it is administered on an in-hospital basis.

The EUA, granted by FDA Friday, covers adults and children hospitalized with lab-confirmed COVID-19 and severe disease. Severe disease is defined as blood oxygen saturation <94% on room air, requiring supplemental oxygen, mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)...