An experimental drug named remdesivir, which was being developed to fight Ebola is being tested on COVID-19 patients in the U.S. and abroad.

A fact-checked conducted by The New York Times and CNBC confirms that remdesvir, which was being developed to fight Ebola is being tested in COVID-19.

A fact-checked conducted by The New York Times and CNBC confirms that remdesvir, which was being developed to fight Ebola is being tested in COVID-19.Remdesivir is an antiviral medicine that was being developed for Ebola treatment, is now being tested to see if it's safe and effective against the novel coronavirus in people. Its maker, Gilead Sciences, has been working with researchers and governments around the world to get clinical trials up and running. The company has said to expect results in April.

Six studies are in progress, with the first, in severely ill patients in China, due to finish as early as April 3, 2020. A study in patients with the milder disease will also finish in April, with two more due in May. Gilead had made the drug available to hundreds of patients on a compassionate use basis. However, it recently said that, due to overwhelming demand, it would suspend access to the drug for all but pregnant women and children as it works to create a more systematic way of giving it out without interfering with clinical trials.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.