Gilead Immune from Class Action Claims Targeting COVID-19 Drug Veklury, Judge Rules

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California federal judge has found in favor of Gilead Sciences Inc. in a putative class action alleging it downplayed the risks and exaggerated the benefits of its COVID-19 drug Veklury (remdesivir), ruling that the company is immune under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act.

In a Feb. 21 order, Judge William B. Shubb of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California further ruled that amendment of the complaint would be futile because the plaintiffs cannot overcome PREP Act immunity.

Deborah Fust and Edward Pimentel filed the action, asserting claims for violation …