Clinical trials for the potential COVID-19 antiviral remdesivir are getting underway at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), which announced this week that it is enrolling patients for two studies.
The test, developed by Gilead Sciences Inc., is a general-purpose antiviral first developed during the Ebola outbreak in 2014-2016. However, the hope is that it could lessen the severity of COVID-19 by preventing viral replication during the early stages of infection. The BIDMC trials will be its first test of efficacy for those hospitalized with moderate or severe cases of COVID-19.
“Physicians all over the world are seeking new tools to use against this novel infection, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is joining the hunt for ways to lessen the virus’s impact,” said Dr. Kathryn Stephenson, the trial’s leader and Director of BIDMC’s Center for Virology and Vaccine Research Clinical Trials Unit. “Remdesivir was designed to reduce the severity of viral infections or shorten patients’ recovery time, and it’s critical that we use rigorous research to determine its potential not only to help individual patients but also to save lives simply by opening up more hospital beds for patients who need them.”
Enrollment will be offered only to patients hospitalized at BIDMC for treatment of COVID-19. Those admitted may request that their care team reach out for information on the trial, though the research team may reach out to eligible patients on their own.
To date, the COVID-19 pandemic has infected more than 400,000 people, according to the World Health Organization. It has also killed more than 21,000, and since its origins in China, found new hot spots in countries like the United States, Spain, Italy, and Iran.