US FDA warns on reduced effectiveness of Remdesivir

While offering another barrier to the market’s latest risk-on sentiment, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns over the use of the coronavirus (COVID-19) drug Remdesivir. The much-championed cure to the pandemic was challenged on the ground that it reduces the effectiveness of the virus treatment.

Key quotes

The US FDA is warning health care providers about a newly discovered potential drug interaction related to the investigational antiviral drug remdesivir, which has received emergency use authorization for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe disease.

Based on a recently completed non-clinical laboratory study, the FDA is revising the fact sheet for health care providers that accompanies the drug to state that co-administration of remdesivir and chloroquine phosphate or hydroxychloroquine sulfate is not recommended as it may result in reduced antiviral activity of remdesivir.

In addition, the FDA revised the fact sheet for health care providers to clarify dosing and administration recommendations and to provide additional safety data and supporting data from clinical trials conducted by both the National Institutes of Health and the drug sponsor, Gilead Sciences Inc.

Market reaction

Although the early-Asian session on Tuesday paid a little heed to the news, as portrayed by the S&P 500 Futures’ 0.65% rise, the update probes the market’s latest optimism.