Cipla announced that it has signed a royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company, US for the manufacture and commercialisation of the drug baricitinib for COVID-19 indication. Baricitinib was issued a restricted emergency use approval by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health, India for use in combination with remdesivir for the treatment of suspected or laboratory confirmed COVID-19 in hospitalised adults requiring supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). This collaboration is a step further in Cipla’s efforts to enhance access to critical treatments for patients affected by the pandemic.
Commenting on the partnership, Umang Vohra, MD and Global CEO, Cipla said, “Enabling access to high-quality treatment and medication is core to our purpose of ‘Caring for life.’ Through the pandemic, Cipla has been at the forefront of COVID care and our partnership with Lilly is a demonstration of our unwavering commitment to care towards patients impacted by COVID-19.”