Coronavirus Latest: Experimental Drug Remdesivir Expected To Be 'New Standard' In Treating COVID-19 With FDA Approval
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There's hope for healing from COVID-19. An experimental drug with trials in Philadelphia could be a powerful new weapon in the battle against the coronavirus.
With more than 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States, the FDA could approve remdesivir to treat the virus at any moment.
"I remember the date like it was yesterday," Dr. William Short said. "It was March 16."
That's when Short, an infectious disease expert with Penn Medicine, had his first COVID-19 patient come through the hospital door.
"One after the other, patients started coming in," Short said.
There was no official treatment for the virus.
"A couple of weeks ago, we had nothing to offer," Short said.
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But now, in the treatment for COVID-19, Short says the FDA is likely to issue emergency approval this week for remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug.
"This drug happens to be blocking an enzyme that the virus uses," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said.
Fauci praised the drug on Wednesday afternoon.
"It's really opening the door to the fact that we now have the capability of treating," Fauci said.
"I think this is really exciting, is that this is going to become the new standard. Before, we had no standard," Short said.
The use of remdesivir comes after a federal trial showed promising results.
"A 31% decrease in recovery time and a trend toward improved mortality," Short said.
Some 1,000 patients participated at the University of Penn under Short's care.
"Of the 20 people we enrolled, almost all have gone home or left the hospital," Short said. "We do have something that works."
The next hurdle is whether the drug's manufacturer will be able to produce enough of it.
"The approval is one thing, but it's really ramping up and getting that drug to all the places and people that need it," Short said.
Short says remdesivir is only the first step.
Additional drugs are also being tested for use in conjunction with this antiviral and he expects even better results in the coming months.
