(Yicai Global) April 13 -- US drug giant Gilead Sciences's clinical trial of remdesivir targeting severely ill patients in China has been stopped after two months since kick-off due to lack of participants.

At the end of this month, the Chinese investigators are expected to publish the data from the trial that was ceased due to "stalled enrollment," and Gilead is looking to review that information, Chief Executive Daniel O'Day said in an open letter on April 10. The deputy director of China's National Intellectual Property Administration has specified that the date is April 27.

Another five trials involving the antiviral drug have been started around the world since February, the CEO added. Meanwhile, a second category of tests on people with moderate symptoms will continue in China. Those results should come in next month, the letter read.

Many research institutions have launched clinical trials of experimental drugs in China to treat patients, which has resulted in a shortage of program participants, according to Chinese news reports.

The temptation to come up with fast solutions has been intense. In mid-February, China's BrightGene Bio-Medical Technology said that it can mass-produce the active pharmaceutical ingredient in remdesivir, after which it was upbraided by the Shanghai Stock Exchange for misleading information disclosure. The firm has no license to produce the medicine.

Editor: Emmi Laine