Lupin change gears to bring Covid-19 drugs in market; approaches Gilead for Remdesivir

Lupin has approached Gilead Sciences Inc for a voluntary license, or an authorisation given by a patent holder to a generics producer, to manufacture and distribute antiviral drug Remdesivir in India and other countries.

"We do have an application pending, we don't have a license (from Gilead)," Nilesh Gupta, Managing Director of Lupin, said at a post-result media call.

"At Lupin, we believe in patent rights, we believe in volutnary licensing. We would like to work very much with Gilead to get approval for the product and make that available," Gupta said.

Lupin, which was not as active as some of its peers during the first wave of COVID-19 with drugs and vaccines, said that strategy has changed.

Along with Remdesivir, Gupta said the company was in talks with MSD (US Merck) for voluntary license of COVID-19 antiviral drug Molnupiravir, and has an interest in Canadian biotech SanOtize for COVID-19 preventive nitric oxide nasal spray and Pfizer's antiviral drug.