Shionogi in deal with MPP for COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment

Japanese pharma major Shionogi (TYO: 4507) edged up 1% to 7,035 yen today, after it announced a voluntary license agreement for its oral COVID-19 antiviral candidate ensitrelvir fumaric acid (S-217622) with the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), which aims to increase access to life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The accord will enable MPP to facilitate additional production and distribution of the investigational antiviral, pending regulatory authorization or approval, by granting sublicences to qualified generic manufacturers, with the goal of expanding access to people living in LMICs. Ensitrelvir is being evaluated for the treatment of COVID-19 to be administered as an oral tablet formulation taken once daily for five days.

Under the terms of the licence agreement between Shionogi and MPP, qualified generic manufacturers that are granted sublicenses by MPP will be able to manufacture and supply ensitrelvir to 117 countries.