Remdesivir: The drug Kenya plans to use in treating COVID-19 patients

The Acting Director General of Health Dr. Patrick Amoth has said Kenya could use Remdesivir in treating gravely ill COVID-19 patients after the drug was subjected to tests in the United States of America (USA).

Dr. Amoth said 330 out of 1, 063 patients treated with the drug in the US, returned positive results. This fraction healed from COVID-19 in a record 11 days, he stated.

“I am sure you must have heard of the news from the United States regarding the new drug, Remdesivir, for the treatment of severe coronavirus disease,” said Dr. Amoth while addressing journalists at Afya House on Saturday, May 2, during the daily COVID-19 situation in Kenya updates.

“This is a medicine that was initially tried for Ebola virus treatment, and was also used for the treatment of other coronaviruses like the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, whose outbreak was reported in 2003 in Hong Kong.

“A trial of this medicine in treating the coronavirus disease was done in the United States. One thousand and sixty (1, 063) coronavirus patients were trialled with the drug. This was a good trial because the case-load was good, more than 1, 000 people.

“The primary end point was the recovery – either the stoppage of use of supplemental oxygen for critically-ill patients, or the time for discharge. During this study, 31 per cent (330) of the 1, 063 patients were able to go home within 11 days, compared with the other arm of patients who received normal treatment,” said Dr. Amoth.

“Based on this, the federal drug authority in the US, has decided to register this medicine for the treatment of coronavirus disease.”

The acting DG of Health said Science is yet to prove that Remdesivir can cure coronavirus 100 per cent.

“This is not to point out that we have a cure. If you look at the healing timeframe (15 days of those who received normal treatment and 11 days for those who received Remdesivir treatment), it is still not yet the silver bullet,” he said.

“The shortcoming of this medication, is that it can only be given as an infusion through an injection, so it cannot be administered orally. It is also very expensive.”

Dr. Amoth said Kenya could adopt Remdesivir for treatment of seriously-ill coronavirus patients.

“For our [coronavirus] cases in Kenya, they are mild ones. The [Remdesivir] treatment could be deployed, but to a small fraction of our patients. We are still continuing to pursue other medications,” he said.