EU picks antibody treatments, arthritis drug as preferred COVID-19 therapies

Celltrion

29/06/2021 14:04

June 29 (Reuters) - The European Commission on Tuesday
picked four antibody treatments and a repurposed rheumatoid
arthritis drug 
by Eli Lilly  LLY.N  for an initial portfolio of preferred drugs
to treat COVID-19. 
    The selection of drugs is part of the EU Strategy on
COVID-19 Therapeutics, launched in May, to speed up EU approval
and for a joint procurement plan on behalf of member states,
complementing more advanced efforts on vaccines.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2MT5XY
    The commission's pick of most promising treatments comprises
Eli Lilly and Incyte's  INCY.O  Olumiant for hospitalized
COVID-19 patients on oxygen, as well as new antibody drugs for
early-stage disease developed by Regeneron  REGN.O , Eli Lilly
 LLY.N , Celltrion  091990.KQ  and an alliance of
GlaxoSmithKline  GSK.L  and partner Vir  VIR.O . urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2MM8WW
    The Commission reiterated on Tuesday it would draw up a
portfolio of at least 10 potential COVID-19 therapeutics.
    The European Medicines Agency has recommended the antibody
treatments by GSK, Celltrion, Eli Lilly and Regeneron for use in
early-stage patients who are at risk of progressing to severe
COVID-19 to support any use by individual member states. An
EU-wide marketing authorisation has not yet been granted.
    To increase access to drugs, the EU has said it wants to
invest more to boost production. As part of that plan, it aims
to facilitate partnerships among pharmaceutical companies to
quickly address possible bottlenecks in the supply chain.
    A first "industry matchmaking event" on therapeutics will be
held on July 12-13, the Commission said on Tuesday.
    The only COVID-19 drug so far approved across the EU is
Gilead's  GILD.O  remdesivir, which the EU bought with a joint
procurement just before the World Health Organization said it
was not effective on severely ill COVID-19 patients.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2I602Z.     

 (Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Edmund Blair)
 ((ludwig.burger@thomsonreuters.com; +49 30 220133634; Reuters
Messaging: ludwig.burger.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))