INDIANAPOLIS -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced changes to the purchase agreements with the U.S. government for its neutralizing antibody therapies authorized for emergency use as a treatment for COVID-19. As part of Lilly's planned transition to only supply bamlanivimab and etesevimab together, Lilly and the U.S. government have agreed to modify the purchase agreement of bamlanivimab alone and focus on supply of bamlanivimab and etesevimab together. Additionally, the bamlanivimab and etesevimab agreement has been modified to enable the supply of etesevimab to complement doses of bamlanivimab the U.S. government already purchased, some of which have already been delivered to sites of care. This terminates the purchase agreement for bamlanivimab alone and cancels the remaining 350,856 doses that were scheduled to be delivered by the end of March 2021.
Lilly's bamlanivimab was the first neutralizing monoclonal antibody to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Lilly subsequently developed bamlanivimab and etesevimab for administration together, in order to meet the potential challenge of SARS-CoV-2 variants likely to resist treatment with either monoclonal antibody used alone.
Important Information about bamlanivimab alone and bamlanivimab and etesevimab together
Bamlanivimab and etesevimab together and bamlanivimab alone have not been approved by the FDA for any use. It is not known if bamlanivimab and etesevimab together or bamlanivimab alone are safe and effective for the treatment of COVID-19.
Bamlanivimab and etesevimab together and bamlanivimab alone are authorized under Emergency Use Authorization only for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use under Section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner.
Healthcare providers should review the Fact Sheet for information on the authorized use of bamlanivimab and etesevimab together and bamlanivimab alone and mandatory requirements of the EUA. Please see the FDA Letter of Authorization, Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers, and Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents and Caregivers (English) (Spanish) for bamlanivimab and etesevimab together. Please see the FDA Letter of Authorization, Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers, and Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents and Caregivers (English) (Spanish) for bamlanivimab alone.
Authorized Use and Important Safety Information
Bamlanivimab and etesevimab together and bamlanivimab alone are authorized for use under EUA for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.
Limitations of Authorized Use
- Bamlanivimab and etesevimab together and bamlanivimab alone are not authorized for use in patients:
- who are hospitalized due to COVID-19, OR
- who require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19, OR
- who require an increase in baseline oxygen flow rate due to COVID-19 in those on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non-COVID-19 related comorbidity.
- Treatment with bamlanivimab and etesevimab together has not been studied in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19. Benefit of treatment with bamlanivimab alone has not been observed in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bamlanivimab and etesevimab, may be associated with worse clinical outcomes when administered to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring high flow oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
