Jubilant Life Sciences inks pact with Gilead to make remdesivir
NEWDELHI: Jubilant Life Sciences Ltd on Tuesday announced that its subsidiary Jubilant Generics Ltd has entered into a non-exclusive licencing agreement with US-based Gilead Sciences Inc to manufacture and sell the potential coronavirus disease (Covid-19) drug remdesivir in 127 countries, including India.
Under the pact, Gilead will transfer its technology for manufacturing remdesivir to scale up production and enable expedited access to Covid-19 patients after approvals by the concerned authorities in various nations, it said in a regulatory filing.
These comprise nearly all low-income and lower middleincome countries, as well as several upper-middle and high“We income countries that have been facing significant hurdles to accessing healthcare after the pandemic, it said. will be monitoring the clinical trials and regulatory approvals very closely and would be ready to launch the drug shortly after the required regulatory approvals. We also plan to produce the drug’s active pharmaceutical ingredient in-house helping its cost effectiveness and consistent availability,” said Shyam S Bhartia, chairman and Hari S Bhartia, co-chairman and managing director of Jubilant Life Sciences.
The US Food and Drug Administration had on May 1 granted remdesivir the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to treat covid-19 patients.
The promoters of HT Media Ltd, which publishes Hindustan Times, and Jubilant Life Sciences are closely related. There are, however, no promoter cross-holdings.