December 12, 2005

Roche reaches agreement with Chinese company to make Tamiflu

Swiss drug maker Roche has reached a sublicensing agreement with China's state-owned Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group, to make the anti-bird flu drug Tamiflu. Roche is also having discussions with 12 other companies to allow them involvement in producing a generic version of the drug.

The agreement came at a time when concerns were growing over a possible bird flu pandemic among humans.

Roche said it was also involved in discussions with producers in India regarding sublicensing agreements.

Meanwhile, it is still uncertain when Shanghai Pharmaceutical would be able to start producing Tamiflu.

Roche is expected to provide technical experts to assist in starting the production process.

The company declined to name other partners, but said they included large pharmaceutical companies, generic producers and specialist chemical firms.

Roche said that while no companies have been identified yet to increase Tamiflu production substantially in the near term, the production partners short-listed would help ensure adequate supply and widen geographic coverage worldwide.