Eli Lilly & Co.’s rheumatoid arthritis drug and GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s monoclonal antibody won the backing of World Health Organization experts for treating Covid-19 as new infections surge across the globe.
There’s evidence that Lilly’s baricitinib can improve survival rates and reduce the need for ventilation in severely ill patients, the WHO said in a statement, advising a combination with corticosteroids. Two other drugs in the same class, known as JAK inhibitors, shouldn’t be used for Covid, the agency said.
The WHO’s guideline update validates conclusions reached months ago by some health regulators. The advice on baricitinib, for example, comes after U.S. and European Union agencies gave the drug emergency-use approval last May. Some scientists criticized the Geneva-based agency for not weighing in on antiviral pills developed by Pfizer Inc. and Merck & Co. in a timely manner.
