Remdesivir’s Approval for Covid Doesn't Erase Doubts
The FDA’s move gives drugmaker Gilead permission to promote the treatment, but questions remain about how useful it is.
Remdesivir got there first in winning approval for Covid-19, but the jury is still out on how well it actually works.
Photographer: Ulrich Perrey/AFP via Getty ImagesGilead Sciences Inc.'s remdesivir, now under the brand name Veklury, reached another milestone Thursday. It is now the first medicine to get full Food and Drug Administration approval to treat Covid-19.
Investors seem to see the nod as a boost to the drug's prospects, sending shares up more than 4% in early trading Friday after a recent slump. The agency’s decision isn't likely to dramatically expand the use of the medicine, which has been available to patients through emergency use authorization since May. The data surrounding its modest benefit has become muddier, and it's not clear why the FDA felt a more formal approval was needed, nor is it obvious that it should have granted one.