Roche flu drug Xofluza to be made in Brazil by Biolab

Brazilian laboratory Biolab has been selected by the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), a public health organisation backed by the United Nations, to manufacture and sell Roche's flu drug baloxavir marboxil in Brazil under the brand name Xofluza.

The announcement was made on 24 September in New York during a side event at the UN General Assembly focused on global pandemic preparedness. The selection stems from a voluntary licensing agreement between Roche and the MPP to expand access to the treatment across 129 low- and middle-income countries.

The drug is a single-dose oral antiviral recommended by the World Health Organization for treating influenza, including post-exposure prophylaxis. Biolab stated it will now begin development and regulatory registration of the product in Brazil.