Sigma-Tau, an ALFASIGMA Group company, has granted Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals exclusive license for its antimalarial drug Eurartesim (dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine) in 32 African countries.

Eurartesim, a fixed-dose artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) comprising dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine, obtained marketing authorisation in Europe in 2012. This European quality standards drug has been developed by Sigma-Tau in partnership with the not-for-profit research foundation Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).

Pierre Fabre will register, distribute and promote Eurartesim in Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Niger, Madagascar, Togo, Benin, RDC, Congo, Chad, Gabon, Cameroon, Mauritania, Burundi, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Ethiopia, Malawi, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Namibia.

“We are very happy to announce this important agreement for the distribution of Eurartesim, the drug developed from our research activities,” said Sigma-Tau general manager Raffaele Sanguigni.

“The distribution territory will cover nearly all of Africa. We are committed to ensuring its registration and distribution in those countries where malaria is endemic.”

“Eurartesim is a drug with proven efficacy in combating a major health scourge in Africa. It thereby complements our portfolio of medicines and health products already widely distributed on the African continent where Pierre Fabre Group ranks among the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in terms of turnover. Our commitment in Africa is long-standing, and strengthening it is a key priority in our strategic plan Trajectoire 2018,” said Frédéric Duchesne, president of Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals.

Eurartesim was approved by the European Medicine Agency (EMA) in 2011 and is currently available throughout Europe. In Asia, it was registered in 2012 in Cambodia, while in Africa, it has obtained marketing authorisation in Tanzania, Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. Eurartesim is currently being registered in other countries and will soon become available in most of Africa.