Hunter
04/07/20
University of Iowa Health Care is participating in an international clinical trial for a drug believed to be a promising treatment for the COVID-19 virus.
A release from the University says that the Hospitals and Clinics was approved to join the trial for Remdesivir on March 30th and is enrolling patients to participate in the trial.
Dr. Dilek Ince is leading the trial, and says that Remdesivir was found to be effective for coronaviruses including SARS, MERS, and SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Those who are approved to participate will be aged 12 and older, have been tested positive for COVID-19 and requiring hospitalization. Approved patients will also show evidence of lung infection. Participants will either receive Remdesivir or a placebo for a period of up to ten days. Data from the study will be combined with results from over 70 sites worldwide, and once those trials are closed, evaluation will begin.
Dr. Ince says preliminary results from an earlier study of Remdisivir conducted in China are expected in the next one to two months.
Gilead Sciences Incorporated developed the drug, is supplying it to the trials and funding the studies.
