Coronavirus: Gilead to widen testing of antiviral drug in Hong Kong, South Korea, other Asian markets

US biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences is widening clinical trials of remdesivir, its antiviral drug for the treatment of Covid-19, across Asia and several other countries around the world amid the rising number of novel coronavirus cases outside mainland China.

Two new clinical studies, involving around 1,000 patients, will start next month at medical centres in Asia, as well as other countries globally with high numbers of diagnosed cases, according to a Gilead announcement on Wednesday. The studies will assess two dosing durations of remdesivir – administered intravenously.

Gilead is now “in discussions with hospitals in Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and [mainland] China” for the expanded trials, a company representative said – without elaborating – in an emailed response to a South China Morning Post inquiry. Results of these studies “may be available as early as May”, the representative said.

The company’s latest initiative will nearly match the number of patients covered by its two trials in Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei province and epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, as well as its recently announced study in the US led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Gilead has donated drugs and provided scientific input for these studies, which cover a combined 1,155 patients. The results of the mainland China trials are expected in April.

The accelerated pace and scope of Gilead’s remdesivir clinical studies reflect the pressing need for Covid-19 treatment options amid the continued spread of the coronavirus. The number of diagnosed cases have surpassed 82,000 in more than 40 countries, with more than 2,800 deaths.

While South Korea, Italy and Iran have recently seen a jump in coronavirus cases, mainland China still accounts for the most number of infections and fatalities.