[Olumiant image courtesy of Lilly]
The JAK inhibitor Olumiant (baricitinib) from Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY) and Lilly (NYSE: LLY) has scored FDA approval to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients who need help breathing.
In particular, the new indication covers adult patients needing supplemental oxygen, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Olumiant first won FDA approval in 2018 for treating moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis.
Lilly began testing the drug in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in June 2020. It won emergency use authorization (EUA) for such patients in November of that same year when used with remdesivir.
FDA broadened the EUA in July 2021 to allow its use with or without remdesivir.
Olumiant is the first immunomodulatory therapy to score FDA approval for a COVID-19 indication.
The drug continues to be available to younger hospitalized COVID-19 patients under EUA.
Lilly reports that the drug generated more than $1 billion in sales in 2021, while Incyte received $221 million in royalty payments related to the drug. Such royalty revenue for Olumiant nearly doubled between 2020 and 2021.