Biocon Biologics Ltd., a fully integrated biosimilars company and a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd. , announced today that U.S. based Adagio Therapeutics has granted an exclusive license to Biocon Biologics to manufacture and commercialize an antibody treatment based on ADG20 for India and select emerging markets. 

ADG20, a novel monoclonal antibody targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses, is in global clinical development by Adagio as a single agent for both the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its variants, as well as future variants that may emerge. 

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a major health crisis worldwide, and even with emergency use authorizations for vaccines and antibody-based therapies, there remains a significant need for medications to treat and prevent COVID-19 infection. Initial data indicate that ADG20, Adagio’s lead clinical development candidate, could provide both rapid and durable protection against COVID-19 for up to one year. This could make it an ideal agent to prevent infections and significantly reduce COVID-19 related hospitalizations and death. 

With its potential to address resistant variants, including the Delta variant, and its ability to be administered easily as a single, intramuscular injection in the outpatient setting, ADG20 is uniquely poised to address the current need for an effective, safe and convenient therapy for COVID-19.  

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson Biocon Biologics Ltd, said: “We are very proud to partner with Adagio in our shared mission to provide affordable access to a best-in-class antibody therapy for people affected by SARS-CoV-2. This partnership with Adagio aligns our joint vision of bringing superior biologic therapies to millions of patients in low and middle income countries. Vaccines alone will not protect and make the world safer. Biologic therapies that arrest the virus in its path of devastation are a necessity for sustainable protection and safety.” 

Biocon Biologics has a comprehensive COVID-19 portfolio that addresses the needs of patients at different stages of the disease spectrum -- mild, moderate, severe and critical. During the pandemic in India, over 50,000 patients benefited from its COVID-19 drugs that included Remdesevir, Itolizumab and Cytosorb.

COVID-19 remains a significant global health crisis and has resulted in millions of deaths and lasting health problems in many survivors. We believe that COVID-19 will become an endemic disease requiring a variety of effective, safe and convenient treatment and prevention options for years to come.

Data analysis by The Economist on the level of under reported mortality over the course of the pandemic up to May 2021 is estimated to be around 10.2m of which most are attributable to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).