In a new international study, researchers from Intermountain Healthcare played a key role in discovering an antiviral drug’s effectiveness in fighting COVID-19.

In the PINETREE study, Remdesivir, an antiviral drug designed to inhibit the ability of the SARS-C0V-2 virus to reproduce itself, was found to be effective at preventing severe illness when given early in the course of symptoms.

Dr. Brandon Webb, infectious disease physician at Intermountain Healthcare and local principal investigator of the study, said the results highlight the importance of early antiviral treatment of the “viral phase” of illness.

“They suggest that Remdesivir is another useful option for treating patients who are at higher risk of having more severe disease or needing hospitalization,” he said. “This is especially important because omicron has disrupted the landscape for treatments. Several of our monoclonal antibodies are no longer effective against omicron. Now more than ever, we need as many effective tools as possible for treating COVID-19.”

Remdesivir can inhibit the virus’ ability to multiply. The drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. Based on current data, Webb said it helps patients recover quicker and is expected to be fully active against all known variants, including omicron.

“All antiviral medications work best very early in the course of infection, when viral levels are highest,” Webb said.

Intermountain used a novel research model by partnering with Intermountain Homecare and Hospice, so trial participants could be treated by experienced research nurses in their own homes.

The trial originally planned to enroll about 1,200 patients, but by late spring, the availability of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines made it difficult to find eligible patients. Therefore, the trial was stopped early and analyzed with more than 600 participants.

Results from the trial showed that when given early in the symptom course to moderate and high-risk patients, Remdesivir reduced the risk of requiring hospitalization by 87%.

There are some important limitations to this treatment making an immediate impact, according to researchers. First, identifying higher risk patients early in the symptom course remains a challenge. It is important that patients who are older, overweight, or who have chronic medical conditions or problems with their immune system get tested as soon as possible after developing even mild symptoms like runny nose, cough, sore throat, fevers, chills, body aches, or loss of taste or smell.

Second, the drug is currently only available intravenously, which limits where patients who are contagious with COVID-19 can get treated and third, because these results are brand new, insurance companies may not yet cover Remdesivir given outside of the hospital.

The FDA is currently considering whether the new data merits formal authorization of the drug’s use in non-hospitalized patients.

“While we remain committed to fostering the discovery of, and are grateful for, all effective treatment options for COVID-19, it is important to remember that preventive measures and vaccination remain by far the most effective and most economical methods for preventing hospitalization and saving lives,” Webb said.

Results of the study were published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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