Sygen Partners ORx for Bioscience Treatment in Nigeria, Africa

Nigeria-based Sygen Pharmaceuticals Limited and Canada-based ORx Pharmaceuticals Corporation have formed a joint venture named Sygen-ORx Biosciences to develop essential medicines tailored to the unique physiological needs of Nigerians and Africans.

The venture will focus on modifying generic drugs to create improved formulations, specifically targeting anti-malaria, antibiotics, anti-diabetes, and recuperative medicines.

By leveraging their combined expertise in drug discovery, research, and commercialisation, Sygen-ORx Biosciences intends to reduce costs and increase access to high-quality branded generic medicines in Africa.

Speaking at the media briefing, the CEO of Sygen Pharmaceuticals, Charles Ogunwuyi, highlighted the partnership with ORx Pharmaceuticals as a strategic move to tackle pharmaceutical challenges in Africa.

The joint venture, Sygen-ORx Biosciences, will focus on developing improved formulations of generic drugs that are already clinically effective, approved, and commercially successful.

Ogunwuyi emphasised that this collaboration leverages Sygen’s commercialisation expertise and ORx’s advanced research capabilities to enhance drug accessibility and innovation across the continent.

“It is to advance innovative drug discovery programmes into the regional and global pharmaceutical markets and reduce costs and increase access to high-quality generic medicines in Africa.”

The CEO of ORx Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Alexander MacGregor, stated that the partnership will build on the excellence of both companies, heralding a new era of healthcare innovation.

With a shared commitment to scientific excellence and integrity, Sygen-ORx Biosciences is poised to significantly impact the healthcare landscape, shaping the future of medicine for generations.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, praised the partnership as groundbreaking, predicting its significance will be evident to Nigerians in five years.

She emphasised efforts to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign products, highlighting a shift towards local production.

Adeyeye noted that the regulatory changes at NAFDAC are driving this transformation, reflecting the agency’s strengthened role.

She stated: “We are embracing a paradigm shift, ensuring that a manufacturing company cannot be stronger than the regulatory agency, which is evident in the changes at NAFDAC.”