After a production setback, Aspen and Johnson & Johnson announce a donation of 300,000 vaccines to South African teachers. Strides partners with Ennaid for an oral COVID drug, while Dr Reddy’s, Lupin, Cipla and Sun Pharma Partner with Eli Lilly for baricitinib in India and Formycon receives approval for early action for its COVID-19 drug.

Towa’s US-based Breckenridge is aiming for exclusivity with its generic version of Amgen’s Kyprolis – developed with partner Natco Pharma – after obtaining one of the first approvals for several strengths of the treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Brazil is permitting imports of additional coronavirus vaccines, while in India, Serum Institute will manufacture Sputnik V, the government is unifying vaccine sourcing, and emergency use approval has been granted to Lilly's anti-COVID-19 antibodies. 

Deal-making and financing activities are on the rise for liquid biopsy diagnostic products in 2021 despite questions remaining around whether the technology can unseat standard-of-care biomarker and imaging tests.