
The US is set to begin treating a few of the critically ill coronavirus patients with the antiviral drug Remdesivir even as contradictory results from several studies had put a question mark on its further use.
The medication was recently given fast-track approval for use in the US.
Reports now say it could be administered apart from clinical trials as early as Monday to the first coronavirus patients. Additionally, manufacturer Gilead is making plans to export it to other nations who give it the green light.
To this end, the California-based Gilead has its entire supply of 1.5 million doses of Remdesivir ready -- which could be used to treat 1,00,000 to 2,00,000 patients.
The development of Remdesivir, which is administered intravenously, had started in 2009 and was used in Ebola patients during the 2000s via an emergency authorisation by the Food and Drug Administration.
The experimental therapy will be reserved for patients who are gravely ill, which the FDA defines as needing assistance to breathe.
Gilead has also accelerated its production of the antiviral drug.
As of Monday, there were 11,58,040 cases, and 67,682 deaths in the US.