Current formulations of remdesivir are required to be administered intravenously due to the drug’s low solubility, with each infusion taking up to two hours and requiring daily administration for either 5 or 10 days.
In contrast, Starpharma’s DEP® remdesivir is a highly water-soluble nanoparticle formulation of remdesivir with controlled release properties, which would potentially allow for less frequent dosing and use in a non-hospital setting, such as aged-care [1]. The solubility of DEP® remdesivir is 100‑fold higher than standard remdesivir. The benefit of DEP® remdesivir’s enhanced aqueous solubility is that it would enable subcutaneous injection rather than intravenous infusion, allowing for outpatient treatment and reducing the burden on hospitals.
- DEP® remdesivir has been created to expand the potential application of remdesivir, by creating a long-acting version which could be administered subcutaneously rather than by intravenous infusion in hospital
- DEP® remdesivir is a highly water-soluble nanoparticle formulation of the antiviral drug remdesivir (Veklury, Gilead) with improved pharmacokinetics
- Gilead’s antiviral drug, remdesivir, is being utilised for the treatment of COVID-19
[1] https://www.starpharma.com/news/story/spl-creates-slow-release-soluble-dep-remdesivir-nanoparticle