Last reviewed · How we verify
Veklury (remdesivir)
Remdesivir is an antiviral nucleotide analog RNA polymerase inhibitor with activity against SARS-CoV-2.
Remdesivir (Veklury) is a nucleotide analog RNA polymerase inhibitor approved for COVID-19 treatment in hospitalized and non-hospitalized high-risk patients. The drug demonstrates rapid absorption with a short half-life of 1 hour, extensive protein binding (88–93.6%), and metabolism primarily via CES1. Key safety concern includes hypersensitivity reactions and potential antagonism with chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine. Overall, remdesivir represents an important antiviral option for COVID-19 with manageable drug interaction profile and established pharmacokinetic properties.
At a glance
| Generic name | remdesivir |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Gilead Sciences |
| Drug class | Nucleotide analog RNA polymerase inhibitor |
| Target | SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase |
| Therapeutic area | Metabolic |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
| First approval | 2020 |
| Annual revenue | 2200 |
Mechanism of action
Remdesivir is an antiviral drug with activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It functions as a nucleotide analog that inhibits viral RNA polymerase, thereby interfering with viral replication. The drug is indicated for treatment of COVID-19 in both hospitalized patients and non-hospitalized patients with mild-to-moderate disease at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.
Approved indications
- Disease caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Common side effects
- Glomerular filtration rate decreased
- Lymphocyte count decreased
- Anaemia
- Haemoglobin decreased
- Hyperglycaemia
- Dyspnea
- Blood glucose increased
- Pyrexia
- Constipation
- Acute kidney injury
- Nausea
- Aspartate aminotransferase increased
Drug interactions
- Chloroquine phosphate or hydroxychloroquine sulfate
- CYP3A4 inducers
- OATP1B1/1B3 inhibitors and P-glycoprotein inhibitors
Key clinical trials
- I-SPY COVID-19 TRIAL: An Adaptive Platform Trial for Critically Ill Patients (PHASE2)
- Multicenter, Retrospective Study of the Effects of Remdesivir in the Treatment of Severe Covid-19 Infections
- A Study to Learn About the Study Medicine Ibuzatrelvir in Adults With COVID-19 Who Are Severely Immunocompromised (PHASE3)
- Remdesivir for the Treatment of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Due to RSV in Immunocompromised Individuals (PHASE2)
- OPtimisation of Antiviral Therapy in Immunocompromised COVID-19 Patients: a Randomized Factorial Controlled Strategy Trial (PHASE2)
- An Open-label, Clinical Feasibility Study of the Efficacy of Remdesivir for Long-COVID. (PHASE4)
- Finding Treatments for COVID-19: A Trial of Antiviral Pharmacodynamics in Early Symptomatic COVID-19 (PLATCOV) (PHASE2)
- OPtimisation of Antiviral Therapy in Immunocompromised COVID-19 Patients (PHASE2)
Patents
| Patent | Expiry | Type |
|---|---|---|
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Mechanism, indications, dosing, boxed warnings, drug interactions |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
| FDA Orange Book | Patents + exclusivity |
| SEC EDGAR | Revenue + earnings |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Veklury CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Veklury updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Gilead Sciences portfolio CI