May 18 (Reuters) – Roche and the Medicines Patent Pool have signed a licensing agreement to expand access to the Swiss drugmaker’s flu drug, Xofluza, in low- and middle-income countries, the organizations said on Monday, aiming to boost supply during seasonal outbreaks and potential pandemics.
The deal will allow generic drugmakers to develop, manufacture and supply the antiviral pill across 129 such countries, creating additional supply channels in regions where access to flu medicines remains limited.
The Medicines Patent Pool, a United Nations-backed public health group, said it would invite expressions of interest from manufacturers to produce the drug under license.
Roche’s Xofluza is used to treat flu in patients who have had symptoms for no more than two days.
The treatment, which is recommended by the World Health Organization and approved by regulators in the United States and Europe, has shown effectiveness against some flu strains resistant to older antiviral classes, making it an important tool in managing outbreaks, the groups said.
“This public health-oriented agreement is an important step towards further improving access to influenza treatment in LMICs,” MPP Executive Director Charles Gore said, adding it aimed to ensure tools and manufacturing capacity are in place before the next health emergency.
Under the agreement, Roche will provide licenses with access to data packages, reference products for bioequivalence studies and certain regulatory support to help accelerate the development of the drug’s generic versions, while manufacturers will independently handle their own approval processes.
In October, Roche launched direct-to-consumer U.S. sales of Xofluza at a discounted cash price of $50, following similar moves by rivals as they scramble to address pressure from the Trump administration to lower prescription drug prices paid by Americans.
(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole and Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
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