Stock trading was briefly halted Thursday for California-based Gilead Sciences, after a draft report said the company’s experimental coronavirus treatment disappointed in a recent drug trial.

Shares continued to slump, even after the biotech company moved quickly to dispute the findings of the World Health Organization study into the effectiveness of its anti-viral drug, remdesivir. The results were accidentally published online, before being taken down.

Experimental coronavirus treatment shows promising preliminary results

APRIL 17, 202002:04

Gilead’s statement helped steady afternoon trading.

“We believe the post included inappropriate characterizations of the study. Importantly, because this study was terminated early due to low enrollment, it was underpowered to enable statistically meaningful conclusions,” the company said in a statement.

“It went on to describe the early results as “inconclusive,” and added: “Trends in the data suggest a potential benefit for remdesivir, particularly among patients treated early in disease.”

According to earlier reporting by NBC News, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found the drug improved breathing in some patients, though only 53 people were involved in the study.

In the majority of the patients — 68 percent — doctors were able to reduce the amount of oxygen support needed. In addition, 17 of 30 patients who had been on ventilators were able to come off those machines — a key factor, since COVID-19 patients who need to be put on ventilators appear to be more likely to suffer long-term health consequences, and may have worse outcomes.