Quality Chemical Industries to produce generic influenza treatment

Ugandan pharmaceutical manufacturer Quality Chemical Industries Limited (Qcil) has signed a sublicence agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to develop, manufacture, and supply a generic version of baloxavir marboxil. This single-dose oral antiviral treatment is used for influenza.

The agreement, announced during a United Nations General Assembly side event in New York, follows a voluntary licence between MPP and Roche. Under this arrangement, generic manufacturers can supply the medicine to 129 low- and middle-income countries, aiming to expand access to influenza treatment and bolster pandemic preparedness.

Baloxavir marboxil works by inhibiting the replication of influenza viruses early in an infection. It has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, and is recommended by the World Health Organization. Clinical trials have indicated that a single dose can reduce the odds of transmission to household contacts by 32 percent compared to a placebo.