Gilead’s Remdesivir Gets Orphan Drug Status

The FDA has granted Gilead’s remdesivir orphan drug designation as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

The investigational antiviral compound is currently in clinical trials around the world in severe COVID-19 patients, including the World Health Organization’s multinational SOLIDARITY trial.

Remdesivir has previously shown promise for treating two other coronavirus diseases — Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).