Eli Lilly and Company has announced that it has issued royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary licenses to established Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers of generic medicines, Cipla Ltd, Lupin Ltd and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, who are collaborating with Lilly to accelerate and expand the availability of baricitinib in India. Lilly is also in discussions with several other Indian manufacturers for the potential grant of additional voluntary licenses.

These voluntary licensing agreements will ensure high quality manufacturing and accessibility of baricitinib during this pandemic improving the local treatment options available to positively impact the lives of people who are currently battling COVID-19 in India. 

Lilly has recently received permission for restricted emergency use by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health, 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). 

Commenting on the development, Luca Visini, Managing Director, India Subcontinent, Lilly India, said, “During the current surging COVID-19 pandemic, we have responded by issuing three voluntary licenses 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.”

Lilly is working closely with the Government in India to defeat the pandemic via different initiatives including donations and expanding availability of Lilly therapies in private or public markets.

Meanwhile Lilly continues to engage in active dialogue with the regulatory authorities and government in India to donate Lilly’s anti-COVID-19 treatments, including Lilly’s neutralising antibodies (bamlanivimab and bamlanivimab and etesevimab to be administered together).