Covid-19 fight: Here’s how pharma companies are rising to the occasion

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Indian pharmaceutical companies are trying their best to ensure continuous supply of medicines and oxygen amid rising uncertainty over Covid-19 pandemic. While some companies have joined hands to facilitate seamless production, other have taken steps to get non-exclusive voluntary licenses from global players to provide medicines at low cost. Here’s how they are at forefront to combat with the virus.

Mankind Pharma: Drug firm Mankind Pharma said it has allocated Rs 40 crore to help Covid-19 patients and their families struggling for oxygen cylinders and concentrators across the country. The company has decided to arrange around 3,000-3,500 each oxygen cylinders and concentrators which will be distributed pan India in different hospitals.

Natco Pharma: The company has signed a voluntary licensing agreement with drug firm Eli Lilly to further expedite the availability of baricitinib for Covid-19 patients in India. Eli Lilly has issued an additional royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary license to Natco Pharma and the Hyderabad-based company will be collaborating with Eli Lilly to further accelerate and expand the availability of baricitinib in India during this pandemic.

The move will improve the local treatment options available and will positively impact the lives of people who are currently battling Covid-19 in India, the US pharmaceutical major Eli Lilly said in a statement.

Cipla, Lupin, Sun Pharmaceutical: Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) has issued royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary licenses to domestic generic firms Cipla, Lupin and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries to manufacture and sell low cost versions of its new Covid-19 drug Baricitinib in India.

Apollo Hospitals, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories: These companies have collaborated to initiate a Covid-19 vaccination programme in the country with Sputnik V. The first phase of the programme kicked off with vaccinations in Hyderabad on Monday. It will start in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday (May 18) at Apollo facilities.

Hester Biosciences: The company said it has tied up with the Gujarat government to explore production of Covid-19 vaccine through technology transfer from Bharat Biotech. The Ahmedabad-based firm said it has already initiated the discussions with Bharat Biotech in this regard.

“A triparty consortium has been formed with the Government of Gujarat as the lead partner, to explore the prospects of manufacturing the Covid vaccine through technology from Bharat Biotech,” Hester Biosciences CEO and MD Rajiv Gandhi said in a statement.