Nepal, Oct. 16 -- Investors betting on big profits from Covid-19 treatments may get an unwelcome surprise when Gilead Sciences Inc GILD.O reports quarterly results this month. Its remdesivir, the first important coronavirus treatment, has not been used as much as first expected and faces complex insurance reimbursement issues.

Its best hope may be that the United States and other Northern Hemisphere governments concerned about a winter spike in cases are beginning to stockpile the antiviral drug, which is also being tested in combination with experimental Covid-19 antibody therapies.

Remdesivir has become the standard of care for patients hospitalized with severe Covid-19. But many doctors remain wary of using it more widely, raising qu...