A drug company says that adding an anti-inflammatory medicine to a drug already widely used for hospitalized Covid-19 patients shortens their time to recovery by an additional day.Eli Lilly announced the results Monday from a 1,000-person study sponsored by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The result have not yet been published or reviewed by independent scientists, but the government confirmed that Lilly’s statement was accurate.
The study tested baricitinib, a pill that Indianapolis-based Lilly already sells as Olumiant to treat rheumatoid arthritis, the less common form of arthritis that occurs when a mistaken or overreacting immune system attacks joints, causing inflammation. An overactive immune system also can lead to serious problems in coronavirus patients.
Lonza Works With Humanigen on COVID-19 Drug Candidate Lenzilumab
Swiss contract drug maker Lonza struck a deal with California-based biopharmaceutical company Humanigen to expand manufacturing capacity for Humanigen’s lenzilumab, a drug candidate in late-stage clinical trials for COVID-19.Lenzilumab is in phase III clinical trials to determine whether the drug can prevent and treat an immune hyper-response in COVID-19 patients called “cytokine storm”, the companies said in a statement on Tuesday.
The collaboration with Lonza will provide Humanigen with additional production capacity for lenzilumab at Lonza’s facilities at Hayward, California, with operations intended to start in 2021, the companies said.Lonza is also working with Moderna to make its COVID-19 vaccine candidate and with China’s Junshi Biosciences to help produce a neutralizing antibody against COVID-19.