Shionogi inks deal with MPP for production of COVID-19 oral antiviral ensitrelvir generics

26 June 2023

Japanese pharma major Shionogi (TYO: 4507) has signed seven sublicence agreements with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), a United Nations-backed international public health organization, for generic version of Shionogi's ensitrelvir fumaric acid, a COVID antiviral, to be manufactured by generics companies.

The collaboration aims to increase access to life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The announcement was made on the sidelines of a business briefing in Tokyo co-convened by MPP and global health partnership Unitaid. The sublicence agreements were signed with three generic manufacturing companies from China: Zhejiang Charioteer Pharmaceutical, Zhejiang Lepu Pharmaceutical and Fosun International; two from India: Hetero and Laurus Labs; and with Ukrainian company Joint Stock Company Lekhim and Vietnamese company Stellapharm.

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