China briefs on Pfizer and Chugai

Pfizer's COVID-19 drug Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir) has received conditional approval in China and Japan on February 14 and February10.

In China, Paxlovid is intended people with mild or moderate symptoms of COVID-19, as well as immunocompromised people who could develop severe symptoms.

Paxlovid is China's first approved foreign made covid drug.

China has several local companies developing similar pills, including Junshi and Kintor, whose candidates are in Phase II/III and III studies.

In Japan, Paxlovid is the second approved Covid pill after Merck & Co's Lagevrio (molnupiravir), which was approved in December.

Chugai consolidation

Japanese pharma Chugai, which is majority-owned by Roche, will merge its two Chinese subsidiaries to enhance early-stage development and improve competitiveness in China.

According to a statement, Chugai Pharma Science in Beijing will be absorbed by Chugai Pharma China that is based in Taizhou, Jiangsu province.

After the change, Chugai aims to build a value chain covering early-stage development to new drug application (NDA) filing to bring novel drugs to China more efficiently. Chugai's China business has been slow with only four drugs sold in the country, including Alecensa (alectinib) marketed by Roche. In comparison, its Japanese counterparts Takeda and Eisai each has over a dozen drugs sold in China.