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Last month, the UK secured the final ratification required to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), marking a significant milestone in its international trade relations. The deal, set to come into force by 15 December 2024, will establish the UK as part of a free trade area spanning five continents and nearly 600 million people. With more than 99 per cent of UK goods exports to CPTPP members becoming tariff-free, the agreement is poised to boost exports and contribute to the government's goal of driving economic growth. In an exclusive interview with Pharmacy Business, Mark Samuels, chief executive of the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA), discussed the impact of the UK's accession to CPTPP on the pharmaceutical sector, particularly for generic medicine manufacturers. "In many respects, the UK's accession to CPTPP will not immediately impact medicine manufacturers," Samuels said. "CPTPP had already set out the regulatory, intellectual property (IP) and market access rules in the other 11 member countries, and the UK has already worked to the standards framework in the agreement."

Essential Pharma, an international speciality pharma group, has procured an establishment and manufacturing licences in Switzerland and Malta. Following a successful inspection by Swissmedic, the company has been granted an establishment licence in Switzerland, which will allow the company to significantly enhance its supply chain efficiency for a wide range of important medicinal products. It will apply to transactions for both finished and unfinished pharmaceuticals, allowing importing, exporting, wholesaling and trading abroad. Essential Pharma has also received a manufacturing and importation authorisation (MIA) in Malta, following a successful Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspection by the Malta Medicines Authority. The MIA will allow the company to import medicinal products into the European Union where manufacturing has taken place in a third country. This will allow greater flexibility in how the business manages the flow of medicines across its territories. These approvals strengthen the company's geographical expansion, improve its operational efficiencies, and enhance its offering as a global business partner. They will also provide new strategic opportunities for the company and will play a fundamental role in driving value creation through functional improvements to scale and productivity.