CSPC Pharmaceutical Group and Pfizer Enter Strategic Collaboration for Localized Launch of Oral Antiviral Treatment for COVID-19 in China

CSPC (01093) announced that the group has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Pfizer on June 28, 2023, for the commercialization in China of the locally produced COVID-19 oral antiviral treatment drug, Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir combination pack), to jointly improve Chinese patients' access to the oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19.

Nirmatrelvir Tablets/Ritonavir Tablets Combination Pack is an oral small-molecule treatment for COVID-19, used to treat adult patients with mild to moderate Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) who are at high risk of progressing to severe disease, such as elderly patients (over 60 years old) or those with one or more risk factors (e.g., chronic kidney disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic pulmonary disease). Approximately 15 million patients worldwide have been treated with the Nirmatrelvir Tablets/Ritonavir Tablets Combination Pack. This medication has played a crucial role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the risk of hospitalization and death by 86% in a pivotal clinical trial.

Through this collaboration with Pfizer, the group can share the advantages of both parties, which helps to improve the accessibility of antiviral drugs for COVID-19 in China and reduce the risk of severe illness and mortality, contributing to China's epidemic prevention and control efforts.