
Gilead Virus Drug Is Cleared for Emergency Use by FDA - TwoFactor
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-01/gilead-drug-is-cleared-for-emergency-use-by-fda-trump-says
======
HarryHirsch
This is what a successful compound looks like in the clinic:
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3299089](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3299089)

The patient group was people with AIDS. 140 people received azidothymidine,
137 in the control group. 19 people in the control group died, 1 in the group
that received AZT. Meanwhile it's not quite clear if the 8 % death in the
remdesivir group is an improvement over the 11 % of deaths in the placebo
group. Doesn't matter, as long as Gilead shareholders get a boost. It's so bad
that it isn't funny.

------
daly
"remdesivir’s polymerase inhibitor mechanism can reduce viral load, experts
said. However, all available data is still empirical in nature, and load
reduction may not translate into clinically relevant outcomes like reducing
hospital stay or decreasing mortality ([https://www.pharmaceutical-
technology.com/comment/gilead-rem...](https://www.pharmaceutical-
technology.com/comment/gilead-rem...))

Remdesivir is an element similar to one the cells use to create protein
chains. When used instead of the real element it stops the chain. This limits
the ability of the virus to create new copies. It would be like putting a
cinderblock in a brick wall.

Unfortunately, SARS-Cov-2 has a "spell checker" that can remove the "mis-
spelled" element (aka the cinderblock) and continue building the chain.

Remdesivir is difficult to make. About 8 liters of starting material is used
to create a milli-liter of product which is about 1 injections. It appears
that each patient may require multiple injections.

Remdesivir is not a vaccine. A Vaccine "trains" your immune system to combat
the virus. Remdesivir is an injection and likely has to be used multiple
times.

Remdesivir might reduce viral load (number of virus particles). The
relationship between viral load, which is high in the beginning but less
later, does not necessarily translate to sickness or death. Remdesivir might
be useful within 48 hours of exposure but symptioms don't shou up for 5 days.
Peak viral load has passed by the time symptoms occur.

