Efficacy and Safety of Remdesivir in Adult Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with important mortality, particularly in immunocompromised patients, including solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Remdesivir (RDV) is an antiviral drug that has proven to be effective in reducing the replication of the virus in host cells, by which it may reduce the progression of symptoms and, consequently, the length of hospital stay and mortality. Randomized controlled trials have evaluated its use in the general population but never in SOT recipients. For the first time in this review, the safety and efficacy of RDV is evaluated in this specific population. The literature research was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases from 1 January 2020 to 24 November 2023, and 23 studies were analyzed. Although no clinical studies specifically evaluating this population have been conducted yet, RDV is likely safe for SOT patients when compared to the general population, so prescribers should consider utilizing RDV in SOT patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19. Future research will allow for the confirmation of the observed results and the acquisition of broader and clearer data regarding the safety and efficacy of the drug in this specific setting.