PFE - Shionogi faces delay in Japan for regulatory decision on COVID-19 pill

Health experts advising the Japanese drug regulators postponed a decision on whether to endorse a COVID-19 pill developed by Shionogi & Co. (OTCPK:SGIOF) (OTCPK:SGIOY) and its South Korean partner, Il Dong Pharmaceutical Co. The panel of experts concluded that additional “careful discussion” was required to decide on the treatment known as Xocova, Bloomberg reported quoting a statement from the Japanese health ministry. Another meeting is scheduled for next month to make a decision, NHK reported without citing a source. After a sharp decline, Shionogi (OTCPK:SGIOF) shares closed higher in Tokyo on Friday after the company announced a share buyback worth ¥50B ($368.2M). Xocova regimen consisting of a five-day course of seven pills is far more convenient than the oral COVID-19 therapies developed by Pfizer (PFE) and Merck (MRK)/ Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, which require between 30 pills and 40 pills over the same period. In April, London-based data analytics firm Airfinity projected that Shionogi

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Shionogi faces delay in Japan for regulatory decision on COVID-19 pill