Benzinga | Jan 14, 2022 12:22PM EST

WHO Recommends Glaxo, Eli Lilly Drugs For COVID-19 Treatment Amid Omicron Surge

An expert panel at the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the use of treatments developed by Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE:LLY) and GlaxoSmithKline Plc (NYSE:GSK) / Vir Biotechnology Inc (NASDAQ:VIR) for COVID-19 patients.

* In its guidelines published in the British Medical Journal, the panel has recommended Lilly's baricitinib (Olumiant), a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, combined with corticosteroids for severe COVID-19 patients.

* The panel also conditionally recommended sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody developed by GSK / Vir, for patients with non-severe COVID-19 at the highest risk of hospitalization.

* Related: WHO Recommends IL-6 Drugs From Sanofi, Roche For Critically-Ill COVID-19 Patients.

* While the global body has already approved the monoclonal antibodies casirivimab with Imdevimab from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:REGN), it has found insufficient data to recommend one treatment over another from that class of medications.

* The panel also noted that the activity of these drugs against new variants of the virus, such as Omicron remained uncertain and said it would update the guidelines once new data are available.

* Price Action: GSK shares are up 0.88% at $45.46, VIR shares are down 2.87% at $36.57, and LLY stock is down 1.59% at $245.69 during the market session on the last check Friday.