Singapore-based Zuellig Pharma has announced its commercialisation partnership with French pharmaceutical company Substipharm Biologics, to expand access of the IMOJEV Japanese encephalitis vaccine across nine markets in Asia, including Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is transmitted with mosquitoes and causes inflammation in the brain and is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis in Asia. The disease currently has no treatment except for the preventative protection provided by the JE vaccine such as IMOJEV.

Under the agreement, Zuellig Pharma will provide marketing and distribution support for the IMOJEV JE vaccine for Substipharm Biologics across Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar.

In addition to the current warehousing and distribution (W&D) agreement with Substipharm Biologics for Brunei and Thailand, Zuellig Pharma will now also provide W&D and sales and marketing support to Substipharm Biologics in Taiwan. This is bolstered by the capabilities of ZP Therapeutics, a division of Zuellig Pharma, which has extensive and proven in-market expertise in furthering access to healthcare products in Asia.

The IMOJEV vaccine was previously acquired by Substipharm SAS from Sanofi in 2022, with the company committing to investing in extending the vaccine's availability globally.