Jeil Pharmaceutical Signs Exclusive Domestic Supply Agreement for Shionogi's Super Antibiotic 'Cefiderocol'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Jeil Pharmaceutical announced on the 28th that it has signed an exclusive domestic supply agreement for the siderophore cephalosporin antibiotic ingredient 'Cefiderocol' with Ping An Shionogi.

Ping An Shionogi is a joint venture between Shionogi of Japan and Ping An of Hong Kong, holding the Asian distribution rights for Cefiderocol from the original developer Shionogi. Under this agreement, Jeil Pharmaceutical has obtained exclusive rights for the domestic development and commercialization of Cefiderocol.

Cefiderocol is the world's first siderophore cephalosporin antibiotic that overcomes multiple resistance acquisition mechanisms of gram-negative bacteria. It binds with iron and is absorbed through the bacteria's own iron porin channels, exhibiting strong antibacterial effects.

It is particularly effective against Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, which show resistance to carbapenem antibiotics. It is expected to meet the unmet needs of patients with gram-negative complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis, for which treatment options are extremely limited domestically, as well as patients with hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia, including ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia. Cefiderocol is currently approved for use in the United States and Europe.

Seong Seok-je, CEO of Jeil Pharmaceutical, said, “We are pleased to establish this partnership and look forward to closely cooperating to provide more treatment opportunities in the future.” He added, “The introduction of Cefiderocol comes at a time when the increase in antibiotic-resistant patients in Korea makes the introduction of new treatments urgent, and it could be a significantly meaningful treatment option for patients with multidrug-resistant bacteria.”