Kettering Medical Center is participating in an expanded access clinical trial for the antiviral drug remdesivir, which has shown in preliminary trials to help COVID-19 patients recover more quickly.

The other Kettering Health Network hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients are in the process of applying for acceptance into the trial.

Gilead Sciences, the maker of remdesivir, reported yesterday that preliminary results of a randomized trial showed earlier recovery in patients treated with the antiviral drug compared to a placebo—recovery time was an average of 11 days versus 15 days, an improvement of 31 percent.

“We are thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking clinical trial,” says Dr. Patrick Lytle, vice president of Clinical Outcomes for Kettering Health Network. “Initial results are very promising, and with more testing, we can further determine remdesivir’s safety and effectiveness.”

Kettering Health Network is a not-for-profit network of nine hospitals, 12 emergency departments, and more than 120 outpatient facilities serving southwest Ohio. The network’s hospitals are Kettering, Grandview, Sycamore, Southview, Greene Memorial, Soin, Fort Hamilton, Troy and Kettering Behavioral Medicine. Kettering College, a division of Kettering Medical Center, is a fully accredited college that specializes in undergraduate and graduate health science education. Sycamore is recognized as an IBM Watson Health™ 100 Top Hospital and Kettering is recognized as an IBM Watson Health™ 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospital. For more information, visit www.ketteringhealth.org.