(Reuters) – U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Thursday that efforts are underway in the U.S. to push for the development of antivirals and other therapies for early intervention during the course of the COVID-19 respiratory illness.
Fauci’s comments come days after the United States authorized emergency use of Eli Lilly & Co’s bamlanivimab, the first experimental antibody drug for COVID-19 in patients who are not hospitalized, but are at risk of serious illness because of their age or other conditions.
“Studies have shown that things like dexamethasone and remdesivir have very positive effects late in the course when people are hospitalized, even when they’ve been on ventilators and requiring oxygen,” Fauci said at a webinar conducted by British think tank Chatham House.
(Reporting by Manojna Maddipatla in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
