In the wake of the revelation that the US has secured rights to almost all of Gilead’s remdesivir supplies through September 2020, compulsory licensing had been raised as a possible way for countries to procure versions of the COVID-19 treatment. However, Medicines for Europe has cautioned that the procedure will not be practical to apply in Europe.

In the month ahead, Mylan and Upjohn will at last begin to make final preparations for their proposed combination while second-quarter results are expected from large cap companies including Novartis’ Sandoz, Amgen, Biogen and Pfizer.

Zydus Cadila hopes to launch its version of Gilead’s remdesivir by end-July in India, even as earlier licensees Hetero Drugs and Cipla have just commercialized the antiviral. Plans for pegylated interferon alfa-2b to treat COVID-19 include a trial in Mexico and an IND in the US. Separately, desidustat is being considered for additional indications.