Novartis builds 15 medicine, not-for-profit portfolio to treat COVID-19 symptoms

While treatments for COVID-19 remain under research, Novartis announced a new initiative for low- and middle-income countries this week that will supply 15 generic and over-the-counter medicines at zero-profit as a way of treating symptoms.

The policy is only meant as a hold-over until a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 is developed, and the drugs do not treat COVID-19 itself, merely its symptoms, like inflammation and respiratory problems. Still, the company and health experts have stressed the importance of early treatment of those symptoms, particularly to keep already taxed healthcare systems from becoming overloaded. Those symptoms can also lead to severe medical complications that have caused deaths.

“Access to medicine can be a challenge for patients in low- and lower-middle-income countries, and the situation has worsened during COVID-19,” Dr. Lutz Hegemann, COO for Global Health at Novartis, said. “With our COVID-19 portfolio, we wish to help address the additional healthcare demands of the pandemic in the countries we are targeting.”

All drugs in the portfolio come from Novartis’ Sandoz division, chosen based on clinical relevance and availability to meet global demand. Governments, non-governmental organizations, and other institutional customers in up to 79 countries could benefit from the offer.

“This initiative builds on our earlier global commitment to keep prices stable for a basket of essential drugs used to treating COVID-19 patients,” Sandoz CEO Richard Saynor said. “The COVID-19 Response Portfolio for low-income and lower-middle-income countries is designed to support governments in treating COVID-19 symptoms before they lead to complications in patients.”

The portfolio includes Amoxicillin, Ceftriaxone, Clarithromycin, Colchicine, Dexamethasone, Dobutamine, Fluconazole, Heparin, Levofloxacin, Loperamide, Pantoprazole, Prednisone, Prednisolone, Salbutamol, and Vancomycin.