Yahoo Finance Coronavirus latest: Tuesday, June 2
On Tuesday, Gilead Sciences announced that it would start to work on a new version of Remdesivir which would allow patients to inhale the medication. Yahoo Finance’s Anjalee Khemlani joins The Final Round to break down the latest news about the coronavirus.
Video Transcript
MYLES UDLAND: Let's turn back now to what's happening with the coronavirus and the pandemic. And I think, Anjalee Khemlani, continued conversations about potential treatments or therapies for the virus and the disease that is caused by the virus, as we head towards kind of an expected-- if not second wave, certainly a slow burn in the number of cases around the world, because we look at how the virus is behaving globally. And sure, things look better in some locations here in the US. But there is not a lack of folks testing positive for COVID-19.
ANJALEE KHEMLANI: That's correct, Myles. With that global case count just surging past that 6.2 million mark, and in the US, of course, still growing from after we hit the 1 million. As we're looking at those treatment options, a lot of focus has shifted now to what that delivery process is like. Because while the treatment is for hospitalized patients, the focus does also need to shift to what happens to patients who need the treatment but may not be sick enough for hospitalization.
We know that there have been antibody therapies that have been talked about. Meanwhile, also, remdesivir, that Gilead drug, and what the potential is. Right now, that drug is delivered through-- intravenously. And so they're looking at ways to deliver it maybe through a nebulizer, or an easier way for a patient to take that.
Meanwhile, Eli Lilly also has its potential rheumatoid arthritis drug being tested. And that is already in pill form. Gilead's drug was not able to be a pill because the chemical composition could have a negative effect on the liver. And so that's something that they've been looking at really, is just what the potential is to have a much easier-to-deliver process and method for some of these drugs right now.
MYLES UDLAND: All right, Anjalee Khemlani with the latest on the coronavirus front. Always great to get your thoughts. And we'll talk to you tomorrow.
