Although scientists and stock markets have celebrated the approval for emergency use of remdesivir to treat COVID-19, a cure for the disease that has killed nearly 260,000 people remains a long way off — and might never arrive.
Hundreds of drugs are being studied around the world, but “I don’t see a lot of home runs right now,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, a professor of infectious diseases at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health. “I see a lot of strikeouts.”
Researchers have launched more than 1,250 studies of COVID-19. Pharmaceutical companies are investing billions to develop effective drugs and vaccines to help end the pandemic.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was cautious when announcing the results of a clinical trial of remdesivir last week, noting it isn’t a “knockout.” Although remdesivir helped hospitalized COVID-19 patients recover more quickly, it hasn’t been proved to save lives.