Gilead Sciences Inc. said on Monday it expects to be able to supply enough of its antiviral drug remdesivir by year-end to treat more than 2 million COVID-19 patients, more than double its previous target of 1 million.
The company also said it hoped to start trials in August of an easier-to-use inhaled version of the medicine, which is currently administered only intravenously.
Remdesivir is at the forefront in the fight against the virus after the drug helped shorten hospital recovery times in a clinical trial. It was granted full approval in Japan and emergency use authorization in the United States.