A clinical trial of a drug to treat coronavirus has doctors optimistic of finding a treatment to fight the global pandemic.

The trial in Chicago uses Gilead Sciences’ antiviral medicine remdesivir. It involves 125 people with COVID-19 — almost all of whom have severe cases of it — and consists of daily infusions of remdesivir.

STAT News obtained a recording of a video conversation about the trial results involving Kathleen Mullane, the University of Chicago infectious disease specialist who’s leading the hospital’s remdesivir studies, and her colleagues. Mullane’s early report was positive.

“The best news is that most of our patients have already been discharged, which is great. We’ve only had two patients perish. We do see, when patients come in with high fevers, they do [reduce] quite quickly. We have seen people come off ventilators a day after starting therapy. So, in that realm, overall our patients have done very well.”, -  Mullane said. 
 
Of course, there is a long road ahead, and much more information needs to be uncovered before any potential coronavirus treatment can be proven effective. But as a first glimpse at the data as scientists try to solve the most pressing problem in the world right now, this qualifies as a good development.