SGIOY - Shionogi COVID-19 pill under consideration in Japan for use as early as this spring

Japanese officials are weighing whether to permit Shionogi & Co Ltd (OTCPK:SGIOY) (OTCPK:SGIOF) to start selling its COVID-19 antiviral pill as early as this spring, Japanese newspaper the Mainichi daily reported Monday, according to Reuters. Last month, Shionogi (OTCPK:SGIOY) posted data from the Phase 2/3 clinical trial for S-217622, an oral protease inhibitor for SARS-COV-2 with a similar mechanism of action to Pfizer’s (NYSE:PFE) FDA-authorized COVID-19 pill Paxlovid. The Japanese authorities are said to be considering whether to allow the company to skip the final stage of its clinical studies before the drug is permitted for use in the country. A few weeks ago, Pfizer (PFE) said it sought Japanese regulatory approval for Paxlovid, a combination of nirmatrelvir protease inhibitor and ritonavir antiviral agent. The country has agreed to buy 2M courses of the treatment by the end of the year, according to health minister Shigeyuki Goto. In December, Japan greenlighted Merck's (NYSE:MRK) molnupiravir following an agreement

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Shionogi COVID-19 pill under consideration in Japan for use as early as this spring