BY FESTUS OKOROMADU
Fidson Healthcare Plc (Fidson), a foremost Nigerian pharmaceutical company, says it has entered into a partnership with Jiangsu Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (Aidea Pharma) aimed at developing drugs used in the treatment of HIV-infected patients in Nigeria.
The Company in a notice sent to the Nigeria Exchange Limited said the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement in Yangzhou, China was part of efforts to further add value to the healthcare landscape in Nigeria and Africa, adding that the agreement aims to promote and address medical challenges through the use of innovative drugs especially in the treatment of over 1.9 million HIV-infected people in Nigeria.
“The two companies agreed to share and combine their respective resources, technical expertise and positions in the market to collaborate on project development, market expansion, and other aspects by integrating their competitive advantages in the pharmaceutical field. Both companies will engage in multi-level and multi-form cooperation, including but not limited to product manufacturing, promotions and sales, and clinical research, involving existing products and pipeline projects,” the statement read in part.
At the signing ceremony, Heliang Fu, Chairman of Aidea Pharma, stated, “This collaboration marks an important step for Aidea Pharma in its commitment to global medical cooperation. By integrating our expertise and experience in the field of innovative drugs, we are confident in bringing greater well-being to African patients.”
The Managing Director and CEO of Fidson, Fidelis A. Ayebae, said, “We are eagerly looking forward to this collaboration and we believe that the complementary strengths of both parties will inject new vitality into the medical field in Africa. This is also in line with our commitment to provide better and more accessible medicines for the people of Africa.”
The collaboration holds promise as a significant growth driver for both companies, particularly as a major factor in the development of local pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria. It will also improve the healthcare and medical practice on the continent. It is expected to be a sterling example of in-depth cooperation in the medical field between China and Nigeria.
