A Nigerian pharmaceutical company is joining an international effort to expand access to influenza treatment, with Fidson Healthcare Plc selected to develop and manufacture a generic version of Roche’s antiviral drug, baloxavir marboxil, for supply across 129 countries.
Fidson is one of 11 manufacturers from nine countries selected under a voluntary licensing agreement between the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche. Its selection places a Nigerian manufacturer among companies being positioned to produce an important influenza medicine closer to the populations that need it.
The programme covers nearly all low- and middle-income countries across Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam, subject to regulatory approval.
The development follows the Roche-MPP voluntary licence signed in May 2026 and moves the agreement into product development and manufacturing. Selected companies will work towards regulatory approval of quality-assured generic versions of baloxavir.
The manufacturers were announced during the United Nations General Assembly in New York at an MPP side event supported by Roche, titled “Advancing pandemic preparedness through voluntary licensing, technology transfer, and local production.” Government representatives, industry players, international organisations, manufacturers and civil society groups attended the event.
The manufacturing network combines companies with global reach and regional production capacity. Laurus Labs and MSN in India, and Desano and Guilin Pharma (Fosun) in China, are the four globally focused manufacturers, while seven regionally focused companies are based in Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam.
According to the MPP, the arrangement is intended to diversify influenza medicine supply chains and strengthen production capacity ahead of future health emergencies rather than waiting until an outbreak creates a crisis.
MPP Executive Director Charles Gore said the organisation would support the selected manufacturers through product development and regulatory approval, with the aim of making quality-assured generic baloxavir available as quickly as possible.
Roche Vice President and Head of Global Policy, Tamara Schudel, described the move from the original agreement to the selection of manufacturing partners as an important milestone, saying voluntary partnerships could support faster and more effective responses to future health emergencies.
The programme also has a strong African dimension. Aggrey Aluso, Director for Africa at Resilience Action Network International, said stronger regional manufacturing and diversified supply routes could prevent low- and middle-income countries from being left waiting for essential medical products during a crisis.
Fidson’s selection followed an open Expression of Interest process. Manufacturers were assessed on their technical and regulatory capabilities and their commitment to producing quality-assured baloxavir. They will receive technical data, reference products for bioequivalence studies and other support to aid development and regulatory approval.
Fidson Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Biola Adebayo, said the selection validates the company’s commitment to pharmaceutical manufacturing, innovation and improved healthcare outcomes.
“Being selected by the Medicines Patent Pool as a sublicensee under the Roche-MPP voluntary licensing programme for baloxavir marboxil is both an honour and a validation of Fidson’s longstanding commitment to quality-assured pharmaceutical manufacturing, innovation, and improving healthcare outcomes,” Adebayo said.
He added that Fidson was proud to contribute to regional health security and the growing role of African manufacturers in the global health ecosystem.
The next stage is development, regulatory approval and eventual production. If approved, Fidson’s generic baloxavir will form part of a supply network serving eligible markets across the 129 countries covered by the licence.
The development adds another significant chapter to Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing story, putting a homegrown company inside a global effort to make essential medicines more accessible and supply chains more resilient.
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