University of Nebraska Medical Center has conducted a trial that has shown that patients with advanced COVID-19 and lung involvement who received remdesivir recovered faster than similar patients who received a placebo.
According to UNMC the first patient in the trial, known as the adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, volunteered after being quarantined on the Diamond Princess Cruise ship. The trial was conducted at the first study site at UNMC in February. Eventually, 450 people across 68 sites joined the study.
“My colleagues and I are pleased to be part of this study which is showing good preliminary results,” said Dr. Andre Kalil, a professor of infectious diseases in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine. “We all are working diligently and swiftly to do the science in the appropriate way to help in this pandemic. It also gives us hope that soon this drug may be used widely.”
The data was reviewed on April 27 by an independent data and safety monitoring board and the study team. UNMC says based on their findings, remdesivir is better than the placebo.
UNMC officials say the preliminary results indicate that patients who received remdesivir had a 31% faster time to recover than those who received a placebo. The median time of recovery was 11 days. The recovery time was 15 days, for those on the placebo.
According to UNMC more information and findings will be released at a later time, along with information regarding making remdesivir available to patients quickly, according to UNMC.