PR84021

MUMBAI, India, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Cipla Limited (BSE: 500087) (NSE: CIPLA EQ) (and hereafter referred to as

"Cipla") today announced that it has signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement

with Gilead Sciences, Inc. for the manufacturing and distribution of the

investigational medicine Remdesivir, which has been issued an Emergency Use

Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat

COVID-19 patients. This agreement is part of Cipla's efforts to enhance global

access to life-saving treatments for patients affected by the pandemic.

As part of the agreement, Cipla will be permitted to manufacture the API and

Finished product, and market it in 127 countries including India and South

Africa under Cipla's own brand name. Cipla will receive the manufacturing

know-how from Gilead Sciences, Inc. to manufacture the API and Finished product

at a commercial scale. Cipla's extensive geographical and commercial footprint

will help make this therapy accessible to more patients and markets.  

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s tracker, the number of

reported COVID-19 cases has crossed the four million mark globally.

The EUA will facilitate broader use of Remdesivir to treat hospitalized

patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19. The EUA is based on available data

from two global clinical trials – US National Institute for Allergy and

Infectious Diseases' placebo-controlled Phase 3 study in patients with moderate

to severe symptoms of COVID-19, and Gilead's global Phase 3 study evaluating

Remdesivir in patients with severe disease. Multiple additional clinical trials

are ongoing to generate more data on the safety and efficacy of Remdesivir as a

potential treatment for COVID-19. Remdesivir continues to be an investigational

drug that has not been approved by the FDA.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Umang Vohra (MD and Global CEO, Cipla

Limited) said, "As the world is faced with the COVID-19 crisis, it is

imperative that we collaborate and fight this virus together. We are pleased to

partner with Gilead for this cause and take this treatment to patients across

countries after the required regulatory approvals. At Cipla, it is our

continuous endeavour to ensure that no patient is denied access to life-saving

treatments. Our partnership with Gilead represents this unwavering commitment

and is a significant step towards saving millions of lives impacted by the

pandemic."

About Cipla:  

Established in 1935, Cipla is a global pharmaceutical company focused on agile

and sustainable growth, complex generics, and deepening portfolio in our home

markets of India, South Africa, North America, and key regulated and emerging

markets. Our strengths in the respiratory, anti-retroviral, urology,

cardiology, anti-infective and CNS segments are well-known. Our 46

manufacturing sites around the world produce 50+ dosage forms and 1,500+

products using cutting-edge technology platforms to cater to our 80+ markets.

Cipla is ranked 3rd largest in pharma in India (IQVIA MAT Mar'20), 3rd largest

in the pharma private market in South Africa (IQVIA MAT Mar'20), and is among

the most dispensed generic players in the U.S. For over eight decades, making a

difference to patients has inspired every aspect of Cipla's work. Our

paradigm-changing offer of a triple anti-retroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS at less

than a dollar a day in Africa in 2001 is widely acknowledged as having

contributed to bringing inclusiveness, accessibility and affordability to the

centre of the HIV movement. A responsible corporate citizen, Cipla's

humanitarian approach to healthcare in pursuit of its purpose of 'Caring for

Life' and deep-rooted community links wherever it is present make it a partner

of choice to global health bodies, peers and all stakeholders. For more, please

visit www.cipla.com, or click on Twitter [https://twitter.com/Cipla_Global],

Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Cipla/], LinkedIn

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Source: Cipla