Many in the medical community view an experimental antiviral drug called remdesivir, manufactured by Gilead Sciences, as the best chance for a treatment. In tests in academic labs, in work sponsored by the federal government, it has been shown to block viral replication. A clutch of clinical trials are underway worldwide to test it in patients, and Gilead is distributing it to thousands of people on a "compassionate use" basis. Remdesivir is considered a broad-spectrum antiviral, meaning it is believed to work against multiple types of virus. But it failed in a test against Ebola last year. Also, it has a big drawback: It is a liquid that must be given intravenously, which means people must go to a hospital or clinic on 10 consecutive days to be treated. Gilead, the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization are among those sponsoring multiple clinical trials, and preliminary results are expected within weeks.

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Here are the drugs that could treat coronavirus. But don't expect a silver bullet. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

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