3 Indian Firms To Make, Sell US's Eli Lilly's Baricitinib Drug For Covid Treatment

The three Indian drugmakers - Cipla Ltd, Lupin Ltd and Sun Pharma - will collaborate with U.S.-based Lilly to help make and sell baricitinib in India.

Eli Lilly and Co said on Monday it had signed licensing agreements with three Indian generic drugmakers to expand the availability of its arthritis drug baricitinib in the country for treating COVID-19 patients. The agreements will bolster India's arsenal of drugs to battle its catastrophic second wave of the pandemic, which has led to an acute shortage of coronavirus medicines including remdesivir and tocilizumab. The three Indian drugmakers - Cipla Ltd, Lupin Ltd and Sun Pharma - will collaborate with U.S.-based Lilly to help make and sell baricitinib in India. Baricitinib has been given restricted emergency use approval by India's drug regulator for use in combination with remdesivir for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 adult patients requiring supplemental oxygen, Eli Lilly said in an emailed statement.