WHO Recommends Gilead's COVID-19 Therapy For Severe Disease

  • Gilead Sciences Inc GILD announced updates to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Therapeutics and COVID-19: living guideline, which now conditionally recommends Veklury (remdesivir) for severe COVID-19.
  • WHO continues to conditionally recommend Veklury in those with non-severe COVID-19 at the highest risk of hospitalization.
  • The WHO conditional recommendation is mainly driven by the final results of the WHO-sponsored SOLIDARITY study, which showed a statistically significant 17% lower relative risk of death or progression to needing ventilation in patients requiring supplemental oxygen compared to standard of care.
  • Related: Gilead's Remdesivir Becomes First Approved Treatment For Pediatric COVID-19 Patients
  • Additionally, SOLIDARITY showed a statistically significant 13% lower relative mortality risk with Veklury treatment for those patients hospitalized on supplemental oxygen and not requiring mechanical ventilation, compared with standard of care. 
  • In the study, Veklury had no significant effect on patients with COVID-19 who were already ventilated. 
  • These findings complement results from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' trial in which a mortality reduction was seen in Veklury-treated patients on low flow oxygen compared to placebo.
  • Veklury did not demonstrate a mortality benefit in the overall population or other baseline oxygen subgroups in either ACTT-1 or SOLIDARITY.
  • Price Action: GILD shares are down 0.77% at $64.50 during the premarket session on the last check Friday.
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