Lilly Begins Second COVID Antibody Study with Junshi Biosciences

Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) and partner Junshi
Biosciences in China have begun another study of a potential antibody
treatment to fight COVID-19. The investigational medicine is being
co-developed in a
<www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/42085817/lilly-junshi-bioscienc
es-to-codevelop-covid-antibody-therapies> partnership announced in May.

The company says Junshi Biosciences is leading development in greater China
while Lilly is planning to begin phase 1 of the study in the United States
in the coming days.

“There is much we still don’t know about COVID-19. The best path to learn
more about the potential for neutralizing antibodies, either as monotherapy
or in combination, is through carefully controlled randomized trials. We
look forward to the results of such trials in the coming months,” said Dr.
Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific officer and president of Lilly
Research Laboratories.

Lilly says both phase 1 studies aim to evaluate the safety, tolerability,
pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of the medicine in healthy participants
who have not been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The study is Lilly’s second neutralizing antibody to start clinical trials,
following the recently-begun
<www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/42195964/lilly-begins-covid19-an
tibody-treatment-study> first phase of its study with Vancouver-based
startup AbCellera that began June 1.

Lilly says it is planning a clinical development program which includes a
portfolio of monotherapy and combination antibody regimens to understand
which provide the best efficacy and tolerability in patients.

The company says it is studying multiple approaches to treat COVID-19,
including potential antibodies designed to attack the virus as well as
existing Lilly medicines to understand their potential in treating
complications of COVID-19.

Source: Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick

Photo courtesy of Eli Lilly & Co