Kaneka Corporation has reached an agreement with Fujifilm Corporation to supply drug substances for anti-influenza drug, Avigan Tablet (favipiravir), for the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19.
 
While COVID-19 continues to spread, the Japanese government has decided to increase its stockpiles of Avigan Tablet, which is expected to be effective against COVID-19, for up to 2 million people, and Fujifilm Corporation has expanded its production system and started increasing its production of Avigan Tablet.
 
“We have been highly commended by major pharmaceutical manufacturers around the world for our process development capabilities, manufacturing technology, and quality of pharmaceuticals cultivated over many years, and on this occasion, we have been requested to supply drug substances as a major supplier,” said Minoru Tanaka, president, Kaneka. “We believe that it is our social mission to promptly start the supply of drug substances for Avigan Tablet, and we will urgently improve our manufacturing system through capital investment, personnel allocation changes, and production plan adjustments to begin supplying the drug substances in July.”
 
Kaneka said it has already started supplying PCR reagents used for COVID-19 tests via group company Kaneka Eurogentec, based in Belgium. In addition, the company said it is enhancing its contract manufacturing efforts for a COVID-19 vaccine using technologies such as high-quality mRNA and plasmid DNA and are handling an onrush of inquiries.