Remdesivir for the Treatment of COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Despite the wide availability of effective vaccines, COVID-19 continues to be an infectious disease of global importance. Remdesivir is a broad-spectrum antiviral and was the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for COVID-19. In clinical guidelines, remdesivir is currently the only recommended antiviral for use in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, with or without a supplemental oxygen requirement. It is also recommended for nonhospitalized patients with COVID-19 and hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection who are at high risk of progression to severe disease. This narrative review explores the evidence for remdesivir across various clinical outcomes and evolution of clinical guidelines through a survey over time of randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and meta-analyses. Remdesivir, compared to standard of care, appears to improve survival and disease progression in a variety of patient populations with COVID-19 across a spectrum of disease severity and SARS-CoV-2 variant periods. Remdesivir also appears to improve time to clinical recovery, increase rate of recovery, and reduce time on supplemental oxygen and readmission rates. More recent large, real-world studies further support the early use of remdesivir in a range of patient populations, including those with immunocompromising conditions.

Plain Language Summary

When people get sick with COVID-19, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, treatment with an antiviral may be needed to prevent serious illness. Remdesivir is an antiviral and was the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for COVID-19. Studies have found that treating COVID-19 with remdesivir can save lives and keep patients from getting sicker. Remdesivir appears to help patients get better faster, need oxygen treatment for less time, and avoid having to go back to the hospital. Newer studies with patients treated in real-world settings, outside of controlled research environments, show that early treatment with remdesivir is likely to help many different groups of patients, including those with health conditions that weaken their body’s ability to fight infection. Because of this research, guidelines recommend that remdesivir should be given to some patients with COVID-19 outside of the hospital and to those who need to stay in the hospital for COVID-19. Remdesivir should also be given to those who need to stay in the hospital for other reasons but have COVID-19 and a health condition that puts them at risk of serious illness.