Focus Taiwan
Date: 02/27/2020
By: Chen Wei-ting, Chang Ching-feng and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Feb. 27 (CNA) American drug maker Gilead Sciences is expanding clinical trials of its investigational antiviral drug, remdesivir, for the treatment of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) into several Asian countries outside China, including Taiwan, in March, according to a statement issued by the biotechnology company.

From March, the trials assessing remdesivir in 1,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients will mainly be conducted at medical centers in Asian countries impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, including Taiwan, according to the statement.

The studies will assess two dosing durations of remdesivir, administered intravenously.

One of the trials will enroll randomly approximately 400 patients with severe clinical manifestations of COVID-19 to receive either five or 10 days of remdesivir, while the second trial will involve about 600 patients with moderate clinical manifestations, who will receive five or 10 days of remdesivir or standard care, according to the statement.    [FULL  ST-ORY]