Gilead Sciences has granted royalty-free licences to six generic drug manufacturers to make and sell cheaper copycat versions of its HIV prevention medicine in 120 low and lower-middle income countries.
Reuters reports that it will also provide the companies’ branded version of the lenacapavir in 18 countries, including Botswana, Ethiopia and Kenya, until they establish manufacturing capacity and can fully support demand. These countries represent about 70% of HIV cases.
The licensing agreements have been signed with India’s Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, and Hetero Labs, as well as US-based Viatris’s unit Mylan, Egypt’s Eva Pharma and Pakistan-based Ferozsons Laboratories.
The deals were triggered by pressure from activists and civil rights groups, and allow for manufacturing and supply of generic lenacapavir, if it is approved, in 120 countries, including India, Ukraine, Philippines and Thailand.
Lenacapavir is not approved for the prevention of HIV, but has regulatory nod in multiple countries, including the US, for treatment of multi-drug-resistant HIV in combination with other antiretrovirals.
The agreement also covers lenacapavir as a treatment of HIV in adults with a multi-drug-resistant form of the disease who had received multiple medicines earlier.
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