Orient EuroPharma has signed a deal with the US branded and generic drugmaker Currax Pharmaceuticals to bring the weight control drug Contrave (naltrexone/bupropion) to the Taiwan market as soon as in the second half of 2022.

The Taipei-based company last year also bought the exclusive commercial rights for CBL514, an experimental, local fat dissolving injection from its local counterpart Caliway.CBL514 is in Phase II studies in Australia.

In Taiwan, about 48% of people above 18 are either overweight or obese, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Currax gained rights to Contrave along with its acquisition of Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals in 2019.