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Lilly Signs US Bamlanivimab Contract, Raising Unanswered Allocation Considerations

 
• By Jessica Merrill

The price of the antibody monotherapy for COVID-19 will be $1,250 per vial for wealthy countries. CEO David Ricks outlined the company's guidelines for pricing and distributing a limited supply.

Open red metal empty medicine cabinet hanging on a dark gray marble wall background
Availability of Lilly's antibody for COVID-19 will be limited • Source: Shutterstock

Eli Lilly and Company CEO David Ricks, in an open letter on the firm’s new $375m contract with the US government to supply its COVID-19 treatment bamlanivimab, attempted to outline some of the ethical decisions that will go into distributing the limited supply of the medicine, but there were no details and much of the decision-making will be left up to the federal government. The company disclosed the contract for 300,000 vials and the price of $1,250 per vial for wealthy countries on 28 October.

The company expects to profit off the sale of the monoclonal antibody in 2021, based on the price in developed markets, Ricks confirmed.

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