Dr Reddy's enters into licensing agreement with Eli Lilly for COVID-19 treatment drug

Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Tuesday said that it has entered into a royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company for the manufacture and commercialization of the drug baricitinib, in India.

According to the official statement, the drug baricitinib has received restricted emergency use approval from 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 hospitalized adults requiring supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

"This partnership comes at a critical juncture in the fight against the pandemic in India, and adds to the company's existing range of COVID-19 therapeutics covering the full spectrum from mild to moderate and severe conditions of the disease, and a vaccine," said the Hyderabad-based firm.

( With inputs from ANI )