New commercialisation agreement builds on existing partnership with Zuellig Pharma
SINGAPORE 16 January 2024 – Zuellig Pharma, a leading healthcare solutions company in Asia, has announced its commercialisation partnership with pharmaceutical company Substipharm Biologics, to expand access of the IMOJEV® Japanese encephalitis vaccine across nine markets in Asia, including Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is transmitted with mosquitoes and causes inflammation in the brain and is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia. The disease currently has no treatment except for the preventative protection provided by the JE vaccine such as IMOJEV®.
Under the agreement, Zuellig Pharma will provide marketing and distribution support for the IMOJEV® JE vaccine for Substipharm Biologics across Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar. In addition to the current warehousing and distribution (W&D) agreement with Substipharm Biologics for Brunei and Thailand, Zuellig Pharma will now also provide W&D and sales and marketing support to Substipharm Biologics in Taiwan. This is bolstered by the capabilities of ZP Therapeutics, a division of Zuellig Pharma, which has extensive and proven in-market expertise in furthering access to healthcare products in Asia.
“As a leading healthcare solutions company, we are committed to expanding access to healthcare and meeting evolving healthcare needs in the region. This partnership with Substipharm Biologics is yet another testament to our commitment to provide access to high-quality and affordable vaccines to communities around the region, supported by our strong understanding of the healthcare landscape in Asia,” said John Graham, CEO, Zuellig Pharma.
“ZP Therapeutics’ partnership with Substipharm Biologics is an important milestone as it expands the availability of IMOJEV® to patients all over Asia. Our experience and deep expertise in vaccines, will ensure we provide critical support for doctors for this preventive vaccine for JE, especially for working populations in rural areas, where JE is a serious threat,” commented Rehan Saghir, Executive Vice President of ZP Therapeutics.
“As a partner that shares our vision of providing high quality, affordable medicines and healthcare solutions to patients, Substipharm Biologics will work closely with Zuellig Pharma to ensure that we continue to deliver life-saving, innovative products for populations in Asia and globally,” said Fabrice Baschiera, Substipharm Biologics SA, Chief Executive Officer.
The IMOJEV® vaccine was previously acquired by Substipharm SAS from Sanofi in 2022, with the company committing to investing in extending the vaccine’s availability globally.
