(Adds detail, quote, background)
LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - Britain will provide anti-viral
drug remdesivir to certain COVID-19 patients that it is most
likely to benefit as part of a collaboration with manufacturer
Gilead Sciences, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
The department of health said that early data from clinical
trials around the world showed that the drug could shorten the
recovery time of COVID-19 patients by four days.
"As we navigate this unprecedented period, we must be on the
front foot of the latest medical advancements, while always
ensuring patient safety remains a top priority," junior health
minister James Bethell said.
"We will continue to monitor remdesivir’s success in
clinical trials across the country to ensure the best results
for UK patients."
The government said that the allocation of the drugs would
be determined by where they would have the greatest benefit, but
did not say how many patients would be treated under the
arrangement.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) last week said
that data from its trial of remdesivir showed that the drug
offers the most benefit for COVID-19 patients who need extra
oxygen but do not require mechanical ventilation.
The researchers also said that "given high mortality despite
the use of remdesivir," it is likely that the antiviral drug
would be more effective in combination with other treatments for
COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel
coronavirus.
Gilead said it expects results from its own study of
remdesivir in patients with moderate COVID-19 at the end of this
month.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Kate Holton; editing by Guy
Faulconbridge)