SMS Pharmaceuticals Limited has received a non‐exclusive license through the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to manufacture nirmatrelvir, an oral antiviral COVID‐19 medicine developed by Pfizer, to increase broad access of treatment in 95 low‐ and middle‐ income countries .

Pfizer previously announced that the trial of its novel COVID‐19 oral antiviral candidate PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets) shows the medicine significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization or death for any cause by 89% compared to placebo in non‐hospitalized, high‐risk adult patients with COVID‐19 treated within three days of symptom onset. Pfizer has signed a voluntary licensing with MPP allowing the MPP to grant sub-licenses for the manufacture of generic versions of itsCOVID‐19 oral treatment to qualified generic drug manufacturers for supply to 95 low‐ and middle‐income countries including India. The agreement will allow MPP to enable additional production and distribution of the medicine, pending regulatory authorization or approval, by granting sub‐licenses to qualified generic medicine manufacturers, with the goal of increasing global access.

Commenting on this Mr. P. Vamsi Krishna, Executive Director –  SMS Pharmaceuticals Limited said,  “It is our pleasure and pride to be a part of humanitarian mission by MPP and Pfizer with the goal of providing broad and equitable access of low‐cost oral COVID‐19 medicine for low‐ and middle‐income countries. With the ever‐evolving, dynamic covid‐19 related challenges across the globe, SMS Pharma is committed to develop and manufacture affordable and high‐quality generic breakthrough products that will help overcome current obstacles and future barriers to sustainable health for the people. We firmly believe in our legacy to receive licensing for products that require high‐quality efficiency while frugally maintaining lower costs and faster turnaround time. This is Pharma’s reputation and manufacturing capabilities”