Zanamivir is the active ingredient in Relenza which was developed by GSK under license from Biota Holdings.
“This agreement with Simcere is intended to expand available supplies of zanamivir in areas of the world that may be on the front line of a possible influenza pandemic,” said David Stout, president of pharmaceutical operations at GlaxoSmithKline.
Of the more than 240 cases reported in which humans have been infected with H5N1 influenza virus, more than half have occurred in Asia-Pacific nations or in the least developed countries. Experts have expressed concern that H5N1 could mutate to become a strain that is more easily transmitted between humans, leading to a global pandemic.
GlaxoSmithKline has an active research and development program targeted at both seasonal and pandemic influenza, and has committed over $2 billion to expand capacity for manufacturing flu vaccine and Relenza.
Glaxo's rival Roche has recently increased production of its influenza product called Tamiflu, also manufactured to alleviate the affects of H5N1 in the event of an influenza pandemic.