On Wednesday, the National Institutes of Health announced that hospitalized patients with advanced COVID-19 and lung involvement who received Remdesivir—an investigational broad-spectrum antiviral treatment administered via daily infusion—recovered, on average, faster than similar patients who received placebo, according to a preliminary data analysis from a randomized, controlled trial involving 1063 patients.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement:

"Today's promising news from the NIH Remdesivir trial is a beacon of hope for all Americans and everyone around the world waging war on the COVID-19 pandemic. NIH began this trial back on February 21, working with patients in the United States and around the world to secure results as quickly as possible. The close cooperation with the private sector that got us these rapid results is exactly what President Trump has called for in his all-of-America approach to defeating the virus. Through the efforts of NIH, FDA, and other parts of HHS, the Trump Administration has been working relentlessly to get promising treatments like Remdesivir to the frontlines and save lives."