Lilly in $812-M Supply Pact with US Gov’t for COVID-19 Drug

Eli Lilly and Company has entered into a $812.5-million purchase agreement with the US government for 650,000 additional doses of its neutralizing antibody against COVID-19, bamlanivimab (700 mg). The purchase agreement and doses will be delivered through January 31, 2021, with at least 350,000 of the additional doses delivered in December 2020.

Last month (November 2020), bamlanivimab received emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in patients who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.

This purchase brings the total doses purchased by the US government to 950,000. The US government is responsible for the allocation of bamlanivimab. Weekly allocation decisions will be proportionally based on confirmed COVID-19 cases in each state and territory over the previous seven days, based on data from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Protect data collection platform. There will be no out-of-pocket costs for the medicine although healthcare facilities may charge a fee for the product’s administration.

Lilly has a global supply chain in place to produce bamlanivimab, with numerous manufacturing sites. Lilly continues to manufacture bamlanivimab for use globally, and the supply is expected to increase in 2021.

Source: Eli Lilly and Company

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