Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday said a study of the antiviral drug remdesivir showed promising signs for treatment of coronavirus.
Fauci said the mortality rate for COVID-19 patients given remdesivir was 8 percent compared to 11 percent for those taking a placebo.
“Remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery,” said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “It is a very important proof of concept because what it is proving is that a drug can block this virus.”
Individuals given remdesivir were sick for 11 days compared to 15 days for those on the placebo.
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Fauci did not suggest the drug could cure the illness and stressed that more study was needed.
“This will be the standard of care,” he said.
