The US-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) has issued royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary licences to Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers of generic medicines – Cipla Ltd, Lupin Ltd and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd – who are collaborating with it to accelerate and expand the availability of Baricitinib for the treatment of Covid 19 in India, the company said in a release on Monday.

It is to be noted that Lilly received permission on May 3 for restricted emergency use by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for Baricitinib to be used 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).

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The company is also in discussions with several other Indian manufacturers for the potential grant of additional voluntary licences. These voluntary licensing agreements will ensure high quality manufacturing and accessibility of Baricitinib during the pandemic, it added.

“Lilly is committed to supporting India in this healthcare challenge through our innovative and effective portfolio of breakthrough medicines. During the current surging Covid-19 pandemic, we have responded by issuing three voluntary licences for Baricitinib by pharmaceutical companies in India to accelerate its local manufacturing and distribution under best quality conditions. More licenses to additional Indian generic manufacturers are expected to be announced soon. This is in addition to the donations being offered by Lilly to the Indian Government that will potentially help alleviate the burden of Covid-19,” said Luca Visini, Managing Director, India Subcontinent, Lilly India.

Lilly also announced on May 4 an initial donation of 400,000 Baricitinib tablets being made immediately available through the humanitarian aid organisation, Direct Relief, to the government for eligible hospitalised Covid-19 patients in India, while urgently working to increase product supply over the coming days.

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