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Two lots of COVID-19 antiviral drug Remdesivir have been recalled after glass particles were found in some vials.
According to a statement from Gilead Sciences, a nationwide recall of two lots of the drug is underway.
"Gilead Sciences Inc. received a customer complaint, confirmed by the firm's investigation, of the presence of glass particulates," Gilead said in a statement.
"An injectable product that contains glass particulates may result in local irritation or swelling in response to the foreign material," the company added. "If the glass particulate reaches the blood vessels it can travel to various organs and block blood vessels in the heart, lungs or brain which can cause stroke and even lead to death."
The two lots, 2141001-1A and 2141002-1A, were distributed to wholesalers between October 25 and November 2. Around 55,000 vials of the drug — the equivalent of doses for some 11,000 patients — are involved in this recall, Gilead spokesman Chris Ridley told Bloomberg News.
However, Gilead noted that there had been no adverse reactions reported in connection with the lots recalled.
Remdesivir, which is also known as Veklury, is one of the FDA-authorized therapies currently available to COVID-19 patients and is given intravenously for ten days. The drug has been used in the US since May 2020, when the FDA authorized it for emergency use.
Remdesivir was given to former President Donald Trump when he contracted COVID-19 in October 2020, and it also received full FDA approval the same month.
It's unclear how many reports Gilead received about glass particles. Gilead did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.
