HK inno.N said that it has entered into an exclusive distribution and co-commercialization agreement with Roche Korea for the latter's Xofluza, a once-daily antiviral treatment for influenza.
Under the agreement, HK inno.N will be responsible for the distribution of Xofluza for two years, and Roche Korea, marketing and sales.
Xofluza is a novel, first-in-class, once-daily antiviral treatment for flu.
The treatment works by inhibiting the polymerase acidic endonuclease protein, essential for influenza virus replication, to stop it in its early stages.
The drug received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for treating influenza A or B virus infection in 2019 and as a post-exposure prophylaxis treatment in 2021 in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older.
A phase 3 study of Xofluza (CAPSTONE-2) showed that among high-risk patients aged 12 years and older, the treatment reduced the time to improvement by approximately 1.2 days (73.2 hours) compared to placebo
Another phase 3 study (CAPSTONE-1) in patients aged 12 to 64 years without underlying diseases showed similar results.
The median time to symptom improvement was approximately 2.3 days in the Xofluza arm compared to 3.3 in the placebo arm.
The treatment also showed similar adverse events compared to the placebo arm.
"The collaboration with HK inno.N will further strengthen Xofluza's presence in general hospitals and major clinics across the country, creating a new paradigm for influenza treatment," Roche Korea General Manager Nic Horridge said. "As a leader in the treatment of influenza, Roche Korea will continue to bring the benefits of Xofluza's once-daily oral convenience to more Korean patients and help them recover quickly and return to their daily routines."
HK inno.N CEO Kwak Dal-won also said, "We look forward to the positive synergies that will be created between our long-standing network and co-marketing experience in infectious and respiratory diseases and Roche's superior therapy."
The company will do its best to ensure that more influenza patients can benefit from Xofluza in healthcare facilities nationwide, including primary care centers where many patients visit, Kwak added.