Cipla inks licencing agreement with Eli Lilly for Covid drug Baricitinib

HYDERABAD: Pharma major Cipla Limited on Monday announced that it has signed a royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company, USA, for the manufacturing and commercialization of rheumatoid arthritis drug Baricitinib for treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Baricitinib was issued a restricted emergency use approval by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Union Ministry of Health, for use of the drug in combination with Remdesivir for the treatment of suspected or laboratory confirmed Covid-19 in hospitalized adults requiring supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
Cipla said this collaboration is a step further in the company’s efforts to enhance access to critical treatments for patients affected by the pandemic. Cipla will leverage its extensive distribution footprint to make this therapy accessible to more patients and markets.
Commenting on the partnership, Umang Vohra, managing director & Global CEO, Cipla Limited 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.”