Nigeria, Oct. 4 -- A Nigerian pharmaceutical company, Fidson Healthcare Plc, has been selected to develop and manufacture a generic version of baloxavir marboxil, an antiviral medicine used to treat influenza.

The selection makes Fidson one of 11 manufacturers across nine countries chosen under a voluntary licensing agreement between the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche.

The company disclosed this in a press release signed by its media contact, Tope Akindele. The MPP, a United Nations-backed public health organisation, also announced the sublicence agreements on 25 September.

The selected manufacturers are from Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam. The MPP sai...