NIH Launches Trial of Remdesivir With Merck’s Rebif for COVID-19

The NIH’s National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has launched a phase 3 trial of Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir with Merck’s anti-inflammatory drug Rebif (interferon-beta-1a) for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

The trial will evaluate whether the combination treatment will reduce the recovery time compared to treatment with remdesivir alone. It is expected to enroll 1,000 patients across 100 sites in the U.S. and abroad. Preliminary results are expected in the fall.

Rebif is approved in the U.S. and more than 90 countries for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The drug contains the same amino acid sequence as interferon beta, which small clinical trials have indicated may benefit COVID-19 patients.

The study is part of the NIAID’s Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT). A separate arm of the trial evaluating remdesivir in combination with Eli Lilly’s Olumiant (baricitinib) is currently ongoing (DID, May 12). — Jordan Williams