Eli Lilly Arthritis Drug Enters Trial as Possible COVID-19 Therapy

Eli Lilly’s arthritis treatment Olumiant (baricitinib) is being investigated as a potential COVID-19 treatment in one arm of a National Institutes for Allergy and Infectious Diseases adaptive trial.

The phase 2/3 trial at the University of Colorado is scheduled to begin this month, with results expected within the following two months. An expansion of the trial is planned across sites in Europe and Asia.

In addition, Lilly is starting a separate phase 2 trial of its investigational monoclonal antibody LY3127804 in pneumonia patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who are at a higher risk of progressing to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). — Jordan Williams