4 Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers get royalty-free licences to make remdesivir for 127 countries

Gilead Sciences Inc, The US-based firm has signed agreements which are non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with five Indian generic pharmaceutical manufacturers – Hetero Labs Ltd, Cipla Ltd, Ferozsons Laboratories, Jubilant Life Sciences, and Mylan until a new drug or vaccine is developed against Covid-19 – on a royalty-free basis.

Gilead has given licensed remdesivir to 5 drugmakers in India including Cipla, Jubilant Life, and Pakistan who can make the experimental COVID-19 drug for distribution in 127 countries.

The agreements allow the five companies including Jubilant Lifesciences, Cipla, Hetero Labs, and Mylan in India and Pakistan’s Ferozsons Laboratories to manufacture remdesivir for distribution in 127 countries.

The licences are royalty-free until WHO declares the end of the pandemic or until another COVID-19 drug or vaccine is approved.