Veklury Demonstrates Continued In Vitro Antiviral Activity Against Omicron Subvariants

California-based Gilead announced today it had conducted in vitro analyses of Veklury® (remdesivir), activity against Omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5, which are currently the most common circulating variants.

The analysis results continued to confirm that Veklury, a nucleotide analog approved by the U.S. FDA, retains antiviral activity against all Omicron subvariants analyzed to date. 

“Gilead continuously evaluates the activity of Veklury against viral variants of SARS-CoV-2. These new data build on previous evidence of the durable antiviral activity of Veklury across known variants that have emerged throughout the pandemic,” said Tomas Cihlar, SVP of Virology Research, Gilead Sciences in a press release issued on August 16, 2022.

“There remains a critical need for Veklury, especially for higher risk patients as the pandemic continues to evolve, and these data help provide continued confidence in this treatment.”

Additionally, no major genetic changes have been identified in any of the known SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants of interest that would significantly alter the viral RNA polymerase targeted by Veklury. 

In contrast, all identified variants show mutations at different locations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which is on the outer surface of the virus.

Veklury directly inhibits viral replication inside host cells by targeting the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.

On entering the body, Veklury is transformed into the active triphosphate metabolite, which is then incorporated into the viral RNA and stops virus replication within the infected cells.

Veklury is approved in 50 countries worldwide, including the USA.

Veklury and generic remdesivir have been made available to 11 million patients around the world, including more than 7 million people in 127 middle- and low-income countries through our voluntary licensing program.

Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

As of August 4, 2022, the U.S. NIH's OpenData Portal for SARS-CoV-2 Variants & Therapeutics indicates Veklury remains very effective.